Back-to-school time is an exciting time. Kids get excited about picking out their new backpacks, getting new sneakers, and gathering up their favorite-colored pencils. Whether they have dusted off last year’s lunch box or have a new one, it isn’t always easy to get the kids to eat the lunch inside that lunch bag. Get them excited about what they will be eating with these fun lunches.

Finger Foods

One of the easiest ways to get your kids to eat their lunch is to make it fun to eat. Fun finger foods like small sandwich roll-ups are a hit and can include their favorites. Maybe your kids like peanut butter and jelly – cut the sandwich into rectangles, making it easy.

If your kids enjoy dipping their carrots in hummus, then pack baby carrots or carrot sticks with hummus. It will be like snack time at home. Maybe they enjoy dipping fruit into yogurt – pack a dippable container!

If packing a charcuterie will encourage them, cut up their favorite cheese into cubes and add crackers for a charcuterie on the go.

A fun food to try is rice cakes. They come in different flavors, don’t require refrigeration, and are the perfect snack food.

Warm Foods

A fun treat, especially on a cold day, is warm soup or mac and cheese for lunch. Make sure to warm it up just before storing it in a thermos. Make sure to tighten the thermos, so there isn’t soup leakage within the lunch box of the backpack, though.

Pinwheels

Pizza pinwheels – for the kid that loves pizza, this one is a favorite and easy to make. All you need refrigerated crescent rolls and your favorite pizza toppings – sauce, cheese, meat, and veg. Roll out the crescent rolls pressing the seams together. On top of the crescents, evenly spread pizza sauce and top with your chosen toppings. Once all topped, roll the crescents so it is the longest roll. Once all rolled up, cut every 2 inches and place the pinwheels on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is golden.

Mix up any sandwich by using flatbread and smearing with your favorite condiments and layering with cheese and lunchmeat, or peanut butter and jelly for a sandwich pinwheel.

Go All Out

While it isn’t easy to do this all the time, it is a fun treat to add cookie cutters to the rotation from time to time. Cut your child’s favorite sandwich in a star, the heart or tree shape to add an extra layer of fun. You can even cut up fruits like watermelon, kiwi, or pineapple in fun shapes. Keep foods separated with colorful cupcake liners.

Add Extras

Add in notes, jokes, or fun toothpicks to the lunch. The kitchen section of your favorite store has fun cocktail picks with bright colors or your kids’ favorite characters on them, poke them into cut fruit or veg, allowing for fun snacking. It may even encourage them to try new foods! Putting in a joke is a fun way to break the ice, and they may even share the joke with their friends.

Pasta is an affordable meal that can stretch, but when you are tired of spaghetti, what do you do. You can mix up the pasta type – try a different noodle. Maybe try a veggie or chickpea one to add variety to the flavor and texture.  And then try these other pasta versions.

Farfalle with Chickpeas and Pesto

This is a fun change to a traditional dish. Swap the traditional noodles for farfalle and the traditional red sauce with pesto. The chickpeas add a great crunch to the dish.

Ingredients:

• Farfalle pasta
• Garlic
• Basil
• Pine Nuts (or walnuts)
• Salt
• Lemon Juice
• Parmesan

Prepare the noodles as stated on the box.

While the pasta cooks, make the pesto sauce by blending 2 cups of basil with two cloves of garlic, ¼ cup of pine nuts (or walnuts if that is what you have on hand), ½ teaspoon of salt, and a squeeze of half a lemon (a little over one tablespoon of lemon juice). Blend until smooth. If you like more lemon, you can do more now or squeeze more lemon on the completed dish.

When the pasta is ready, pull the pasta out into a large bowl with one can of drained chickpeas and pour over the pesto. Mix together and top with parmesan. If you want an extra bite, toss in arugula for an extra zing of pepper.

Cauliflower and Herb Orecchiette

This pasta dish adds in veggies without changing the color of the dish. Cauliflower is a vegetable that can be flavored to just about anything, so add in your favorite spices.

Ingredients:

• Orecchiette Pasta
• Olive Oil
• Head of Cauliflower
• Garlic
• Parmesan
• Parsley
• Other additional ingredients: olives, capers, chili flakes, anchovies
• Prepare orecchiette per the box directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat up olive oil in saucepan. Cut cauliflower into small sizes, all of similar size for even cooking. In the saucepan, cook cauliflower until golden brown. Toss in garlic to your heart’s desire. To add extra flavor, consider olives, capers, or chili flakes. Once the pasta is ready, pull pasta over to the saucepan to mix with the cauliflower goodness. Top with shreds of parmesan for and fresh parsley. The cauliflower and olive oil-garlic sauce is light and flavorful.  Want to add more veggies? Wilt some spinach in with the cauliflower and make sure to add pasta water to the cauliflower-spinach mixture to make sure the flavors meld.

Pasta with Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

The beauty with this dish is that it is awesome cold the next day too, no need to heat it up. So make sure to make extras for lunch.

Ingredients:

• Pasta of choice
• Garlic
• Olive Oil
• Red Pepper
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Jarred Artichokes
• Fresh Basil
• Pepper
• Salt

Make pasta according to box – choose a small pasta like bow-tie or spirals so that the sauce will get into all the little areas.

Sautee 2 cloves of minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until the garlic smells, and then add in 1/2-1 cup of diced red pepper. Once the pepper is cooked, add in ¾ cup to 1 cup of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drained) and 1 cup of chopped artichokes to heat them through. Add in ½ cup of fresh basil sliced just before adding the pasta. Sprinkle ground pepper and onto the dish, and if you need it a pinch of salt. The flavors will meld together creating a great tasting, beautiful dish.

Pumpkin and Pecorino Pasta

This one is a fall favorite and comfort food and any pasta type can be used. Make sure to use your favorite pasta.

Ingredients:

• Pasta of choice
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Garlic
• Pumpkin Puree
• Pecorino
• Parmesan
• Cook the pasta to the package directions.

While the water for the pasta is heating, add 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons butter to a heated skillet. Once the butter is melted, add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic. Once you can smell the garlic smell, stir in 1 cup of pumpkin puree to prevent burning the garlic. Combine the mixture and thin it out with one cup of pasta water. Add in the pasta noodles and sprinkle with nutmeg and saved pecorino and parmesan. This is a luxurious tasting dish without the luxury cost.

Pasta with Edamame

• Add a pop of color and freshness with some heated edamame.
• Ingredients:
• Shelled Edamame
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pasta of Choice
• Lemon Zest

Heat water to warm and cook the edamame beans. You can typically find bags of shelled edamame in the freezer section. Once the edamame is heated through, use the water to cook your pasta of choice. In a large skillet with plenty of oil, heat 2-3 minced cloves of garlic. Add in the edamame to the garlic oil to coat the edamame Once the pasta is ready, put the drained pasta in the oil and top with salt and pepper. If you have a zester and a lemon, get extra fancy and zest on some lemon!

Grocery bills are increasing across the country. Individual items are increasing in price which makes creating affordable meals more challenging. Here are some of our favorite meals that typically cost around $5. The best part is these meals are not only frugal but also appeal to all ages in regard to taste and enjoyment.

Cincinnati Chili

The bonus with this meal is that the filler to the chili is spaghetti. At less than a dollar a box for spaghetti noodles, it adds a great backdrop for seasoning. The Cincinnati Chili is what it is because of the seasonings – chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. In a crockpot combine, browned ground beef with 6-ounces of tomato paste, 4 cups of water, one can of tomato sauce, chopped onion, and minced garlic. The seasonings vary based on spice level, but a general rule of thumb is to increase or decrease cayenne pepper based on spice level desire. Add 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon cloves, ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt to the crockpot. Splash in Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar and mix. Cook on low for 8 hours. If you want to really go crazy, add in shaved chocolate (or save for topping). When you are ready to eat, prep the spaghetti. Put a bed of spaghetti on the plate and top with a scoop of chili.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This is another crockpot gem and takes a few items. The ingredients include chicken breast, corn tortillas, cheese, enchilada sauce, and sliced olives. Put the chicken in the crockpot and pour enchilada sauce over it. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. Once cooked, shred the chicken in the sauce and top with cut tortillas into strips. Top with shredded cheese and sliced olives. Cook for another 30-60 minutes. If you have tortilla chips, you can also use those instead of tortilla strips. Have leftover meat, use that. Rotisserie chicken makes a great quick fix for the casserole when you only have 30-60 to prep a meal.

Red Beans and Rice

This can be an easy and jazzed-up recipe. Combine a can of kidney beans or soaked dried kidney beans with spices like pepper, cayenne, salt, basil, sage, and a bay leaf into a pan and cover with water and chicken or vegetable bouillon. Cook the beans until soft and mix in a can of diced tomatoes. Cook rice separately and pour beans over rice. Add in leftover meat or veggies for added flavor. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before eating.

Hawaiian Fried Rice

This one is a great one to combine leftovers. Saute cooked rice in a saucepan with oil. Combine in vegetables and meat of choice. Spam or ham are good choices. Add in chopped pineapple and you have added the tropical flavor. Don’t forget to scramble an egg in the rice for the ultimate fried rice touch.

Homemade Pizza

Enjoy pizza at home with the personalization of any ingredient your family enjoys. Making a pizza crust with pizza yeast is not as difficult as making bread. Make the pizza crust based on the pizza yeast package. Add in Italian Seasonings for extra flavor to the crust. Top with pasta sauce, desired cheese, veggie and meat and bake! What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Topping ideas include:

-Roasted veggies like fennel, broccoli, tomatoes, red bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant

-Roasted pineapple

-Roasted garlic

-Picked veggies like cucumbers, jalapeños, red onions

-Capers and olives

-Prosciutto, pepperoni, salami, sausage

-Cheese options like parmesan, mozzarella, gouda, cheddar

Do you have a favorite budget meal?

Hosting a summer barbeque? Check out these recipes, and you will want to! Wow your family, friends, or maybe treat yourself to these fun and unique dishes.

Bacon and Egg Potato Salad

Picnic fare like potato salad is common at Memorial Day and summer picnics, add a little flair by using purple and red potatoes for the color and a flavor upgrade by adding bacon to the salad.

Boil one and one-half pounds of red and purple potatoes – making sure that the potatoes are similar in size, ready around the same time. Make sure to salt the water.  Boil until the potatoes are fork-tender. Bake or sauté bacon until it is ready while the potatoes boil. When the bacon is ready, crumble it up. Once the potatoes are ready, let them cool before cutting them into smaller pieces.  Also, cut up hard-boiled eggs. Mix together ¾ cup of Greek yogurt, 1 tsp of dry mustard powder, 2 tablespoons of apple cider or red wine vinegar with thinly sliced scallions, and chopped red onion to the amount you enjoy. Once mixed, mix in a tablespoon of honey and salt, and pepper together. To the mix, add the potatoes and egg and top with bacon. A different variety of a traditional dish is sure to please all.

Cucumber Salad

This vinegar-based salad is a light dish perfect for an accompaniment to a barbeque or picnic. Slice two pounds of cucumbers lengthwise first and remove seeds. If you want to keep the peel on, use English cucumbers. Once the seeds are removed, slice the cucumbers thinly. Mix cucumbers with sliced red onion, one tablespoon of white wine or red wine vinegar, one tsp of sugar, and one teaspoon of dried oregano. You can sub out oregano for dill or even mint to change up the flavoring of the salad. If there is not enough dressing to dress the cucumber onion, add a little more vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Beans

If you have a usual baked beans recipe, change it up by adding chopped different colored bell peppers and onion along with the beans, ketchup, and brown sugar. Mix one tablespoon dry mustard, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1-2 garlic cloves minced, one teaspoon chili powder, one teaspoon smoked paprika into equal parts ketchup and brown sugar to make a zingy sauce. Mix white beans, black beans, or kidney beans- whatever beans you want or have-together. If you are grilling, instead of baking them consider grilling them in a cast-iron skillet for a yummy dish. Add fresh sliced green onions for extra bite and color.

BBQ Short Ribs

Looking for amazingly delicious and tender short ribs? Look no further. Mix together 2/3 cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon smoked paprika, one teaspoon minced garlic, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2/3 cup ketchup, one tablespoon dry mustard, and one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce together. This is the amazing sauce to pour over 2-5 pounds of ribs. Mix the ribs and sauce together, pour into a 13×9 baking dish, and cover with foil. Cook in the oven heated to 300 degrees F for about 3 hours.

Sparkling Lemonade

There are so many different varieties of lemonade and limeade that you can make a rainbow variety of different lemonades. Whatever your lemonade (pink, traditional, limeade, etc), elevate it by mixing in sparking water or soda water and mint simple syrup.

To make the simple syrup, mix equal parts water and sugar in a pot and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Once all sugar is dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and add mint springs to steep for 10-15 minutes. Remove the leaves. Add as much simple syrup either to the pitcher or drink as you enjoy mint flavoring.

No Bake Smoresbars

Want something for your sweet tooth? The Pioneer Woman shared this recipe, and it is oh so good.  It uses all of the traditional smores fixings and adds some pizazz.

Melt four tablespoons of butter with 2/3 of a 10-ounce bag of mini-marshmallows. Once melted and combined, mix in one 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips until they are all melted. Mix in a pinch of salt and about five graham crackers broken up.

In a 9inch square baking pan lined with wax paper (and sprayed with cooking spray or shortening rubbed all along wax paper), pour the chocolate-marshmallow-cracker mix and press down, so it is an even base. On top, add the remaining marshmallows, 4-5 more graham crackers that are broken up, and ½ cup of chocolate-coated candies. Sprinkle with your favorite colored sprinkles and let cool for one hour before removing and cutting. They are a little slice of smores for all, without the need for a campfire or stove.

Bunny Day is almost here! Spring with its brightly colored flowers, warmer weather, and pastel-colored candies have arrived. It also means that the Easter dinner planning has begun. Are you ready to shed the traditional scalloped potatoes or glazed carrots for your Easter meal, then look no further! Check out these 4 sides to add some deliciousness to your meal this year.

German Potato Salad

Mashed potatoes are great, but this potato dish is a great spring side dish to elevate your spring meal. Bring 2 pounds of red potatoes to a boil and once tender, drain and set aside. Heat olive oil with one-half of chopped red onion with salt and pepper. Once onions are soft, remove the pan from heat and mix in ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar with 1-2 tablespoons of dill. Pour the vinaigrette over potatoes. You can cut potatoes or slightly crush them, so the warm potatoes take on the dressing flavor.

Shaved Carrot Salad

You don’t need iceberg lettuce or spinach to have a salad! Consider shaved carrots in lieu of lettuce for a salad. This is perfect for bunnies while adding color to your salad. Consider shaving rainbow carrots to add all spring hues to your salad. You can also shave radishes and beets to add more reds and purples to your salad. Mix in sliced grapefruit or oranges with a light vinaigrette for a light and refreshing salad.

Rosemary Rolls

Refrigerated rolls move aside and try your hand at these homemade rosemary rolls. If you have a favorite basic bread recipe, mix in 2-3 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary at the final rest to add a fresh element to your bread. Don’t forget to add whisked egg to the top of the rolls for baking to add a crunchy, glazed look to your rolls. These do take planning as you need to let your bread mix rise and rest in between, but with great planning comes great rolls!

Fresh Fruit with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

A fruity gelatin mold this is not. Chop seasonal fresh fruit into a bowl. Stick to what you know everyone will eat. Talk about eating your colors, this is an easy and fun way to eat the rainbow. Once you have all the desired fruit chopped, mix together ¼ cup of honey, 1-2 teaspoons of lime juice, and a ½ teaspoon of lime zest. Once mixed, pour over your chopped fruit. It can be made ahead of time, but any fruit like bananas may become brown or soft, even with the lime juice on it to prevent it from browning.

Add these sides to your meal repertoire is visually appealing and delicious! Save them for barbeques and gatherings throughout the spring and summer for seasonal, budget-friendly, and refreshing sides.

When the temperatures warm up, the home improvement stores are filled to the brim with plants, and the produce aisles at grocery stores begin to be more varied, salads become more prominent as a meal. While salads for some can be seen as “bird food” or even “girl food,” salads can be hearty, filling, and varied with these additions.

Varied Cheeses

If you are not dairy-free, consider adding feta or goat cheeses to add a tangy flavor to salads. If you are dairy-free, there are great dairy-free alternative cheese shreds to add to salad.

Beyond Traditional Veg

Blanched cut asparagus add a great crunch to salads. Don’t forget about fresh peas as well – if you don’t have fresh, thawed frozen peas work too. Avocado adds a creamy texture to salads while packing healthy fat. Sliced radishes add a pop of color to salad and crunch – bonus that kids may magically like them in “chip” size versus whole. Add kohlrabi or sugar snap peas for extra fun and crunch. Shaved brussel sprouts add a texture and greens to a salad.

Vary the Traditional Veg

If you have picky eaters or looking to add variety to salads, consider carrot shreds instead of sliced carrots. Marinated beets and even mushrooms change the flavor profile enough for a variety for everyone to try. What about baby corn or bamboo shoots for more crunch and variety? Even if you don’t have the bounty of fresh produce, some canned veg adds pizazz to salads. What about olives?

Fresh Herbs

While it isn’t typical to add fresh herbs to salads themselves, they aren’t just for salad dressing. Consider tossing in chives for an added zesty zing to your salads. Basil is a natural complement to salads with tomatoes. If you are making a Greek salad with feta cheese and tomatoes, don’t forget about adding fresh mint to your salad.

That’s Nuts

Nuts like pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and peanuts (although they aren’t actual nuts) add crunch and protein to salads. Consider toasted almonds or walnuts for extra flavors profile changes.

But Those Beans

If you have some mixed beans, leftover chickpeas, or even kidney beans – these are a great addition to salads adding protein and flavor to salads. Beans will soak in the flavors of dressings adding a bonus of flavor to spring salads.

Just Add Fruit

Salads aren’t just for vegetables. Add sliced strawberries to a salad with salty balsamic and creamy goat cheese for a change. Mandarin oranges, sliced chicken, and rice noodles add an Asian flair to a crunchy salad. Sliced pears can add a nice crunch to salads. Think beyond the regular salads and mix in your family’s favorites.

More Than Lettuce

The greens in salads don’t have to be just iceberg or romaine lettuce. Consider mixing up greens with mixed greens like arugula, butter, watercress, or red leaf lettuce. And you don’t have to stick to just one lettuce type for salad – be a rebel and mix them all together for a variety of peppery flavors or crunch.

Let Them Eat Meat

You don’t have to stick to one flavor of the meat. Add chicken, steak, veggie burgers, salmon, tuna with any flavor profile. This is a great place to mix in leftovers. If you made a steak but don’t have enough for everyone to have a typical portion, consider slicing them and adding them to salads.  

Even More

Crunchy rice noodles and tortilla strips can add an extra crunch and style to salads. Crotons, or even chopped crunchy bread, can elevate a salad.

Don’t Forget Pasta

Not all salads are greens. There are noodle salads, orzo salads, and even potato salads that can be varied and provide a fun element to meals.

Salads are not all the same and are great places to mix in leftovers. They aren’t just for lunch or a side and can easily be a main meal if you add in some of these varieties. What salads will you make this spring?

Military families find themselves living around the world. Germany, Italy, and Japan play host to the US Armed Forces, sharing with us their culture and traditions. The holiday time is a special time to explore the food and culture of the nation’s host. Whether you have lived there, want to live there, or are reliving your time there, here are some fun holiday treats from around the world in places our Armed Forces are serving.

Japan

Whether you know it or not, when you are living in Japan (Okinawa and mainland), get ready to see a long line at the local Kentucky Fried Chicken store and ads for the holiday preorders. Why? Christmastime is a time for gatherings and why not enjoy some American fried chicken? There is even a whole song dedicated to this called Stueki na Holiday “Kentucky for Christmas.” (Don’t believe me, use your favorite search engine!)  

Balance out the fried chicken and biscuits with the local favorite of Japanese Christmas cake – lightly whipped sponge cake layered with light and fluffy whipped cream and strawberries. These cakes are so commonplace you can find them in your local grocery store in addition to bakeshops, so even if you forget to place your order you can usually find them.

Celebrating the New Year is extra special in Japan – celebrated with fireworks and music, and of course food. The Osechi Ryori is the traditional food and dishes used to celebrate New Year. The dishes are packed in layered bento boxes and each item within has a special meaning.

Datemaki – sweet rolled omelet – represents scholarship due to the omelet’s resemblance of rolled papers

Kuri-Kinton – chestnut dumpling – represents wealth

Kohaku Kamaboko – boiled fish paste in typical colors of red and white – represents the first sunrise of the new year

Kobu-maki – kelp – represents happiness

Kazunoko – herring roe – represents fertility

Ebi – shrimp – represents longevity

Kuromamae – black beans – represents health

Tatsukuri – dried sardines – represents a good harvest

Renkon – lotus root – represents a foreseeable, good future (as seen through the holes of the lotus root)

Kikuka-kabu – turnip in the shape of the chrysanthemum flower – represents celebration and promotion

Gobo – burdock root – represents strength and stability

Tai – the sea bream fish – represents celebration

Italy

There are two P’s to remember for celebrating the holidays in Italy – Panettone and Pandoro. Panettone is the typified Italian holiday dessert enjoyed through New Year. The tall bread-like cake is a sweet dough with candied fruits and raisins. This is no fruitcake so do not expect a dense, sugar-coated cake. The cake is so popular that it is now present in big box stores like Costco in America during the holiday season. It’s not as well-known sweet bread of Pandoro is a local favorite in Italy. The eight-star pointed cake is similar in texture to brioche bread and the modern version is dusted with flavored powdered sugar as “snow” on top of the mountain.

Germany

Move over stockings and get those shoes (or rainboots) ready for December 5. Nikolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day, is celebrated when the spirit of St. Nicholas visits children who left their shoes outside the door. The typical treats are oranges, representative of the gold that Nichols threw as dowry money in the legend of St. Nick. The taller the shoes, the more the treats may be an American twist on the German tradition, but it is a fun way to celebrate the season.

Christkindlmarkt – the Christmas street market – originated in Germany. The outdoor markets are held in cities all over Germany offering seasonal food, drink, and items for gifting like ornaments and other handicrafts. Traditional foods like Glühwein, Kinderpunsch, Baumstriezel (pastry covered in cinnamon sugar), and Maroni (roasted chestnuts) are offered, There are often children’s programming and petting zoos offered at the markets. If you are no longer in Germany and are looking for somewhere in the U.S. to enjoy the German market, then look no further than to the town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania also known as the “Christmas City.”

Warm-up in the German style with Glühwein. The spiced red wine is sold throughout the country and not just at the holiday market. Make it at home by purchasing the spice mix and adding it to your favorite bottle of red wine in the crockpot. Want to make the kid-friendly version? Kinderpunsch is the same version of the punch for adults who don’t drink or for children. Use fruit juices as tea as the base for the punch. Orange juice, apple juice, cherry juice (to give it the distinct red color) and hibiscus tea add a fragrant base for the drink – add in the ratios to your own personal taste. Add in the spices of cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and whole star anise to the base and warm everything in a stockpot. Add honey to taste and you have got yourself a warm taste of the holidays in addition to your home smelling of the season.

Need a treat with your Glühwein or Kinderpunsch? Stollen is a bread-like cake that is eaten from November 1 through New Year’s Eve in Germany. There is even a whole festival dedicated to the Christmas Cake – the Dresden Stollen Festival. A giant cake is made and sold at the festival. While eating your cake you can enjoy music from marching bands, a parade, and actors in historical costume. The eating of the cake goes back to the Medieval celebrations of the holidays so it is well-practiced. There are many versions. The holiday version is ChristStollen with marzipan running through it.

The holiday season around the world is a festive time. A time to make memories in a way that is unique to where you are living. Once you have returned to the U.S., you can continue these traditions with your family and share them with friends. Even if you haven’t lived there, add one of these traditions to your family’s celebrations this year for a fun and unique holiday treat!

While holiday gatherings may seem slightly more normal this year in comparison to last, the desire to avoid the hospital or doctor’s is just the same. Avoid food-induced illness by making sure to follow these criteria to prevent food poisoning.

Cook Food Thoroughly

Cooking large birds or meat is not something that we do often. Make sure to follow the directions on the package to defrost and cook to the appropriate temperature per the packaging.  Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food, making sure to stay within the meat and not hitting a bone as that can lead to an inaccurate reading of the temperature.

Thaw Food Appropriately

Read the instructions on the turkey, if you are having one. Thawing must be done slowly in an ice bath, in the fridge or a cooler. Make sure to follow the thawing directions on the label of the items and refer to Food Safety Charts. When thawing in an ice bath, make sure to change the water when the ice is defrosted or every 30 minutes. And for the love, do not thaw your Turkey directly on your counter.

Keep Cold Things Cold

Anything that was made to stay cold like pies, egg-nog, dairy-based dishes and the like should remain cold upon serving. An increase in temperature to above 40 degrees Farenheiht is an increased risk for bacteria to grow leading to food-borne illness. Refrigerate or freeze any cold items and do not leave them out beyond 2 hours.

Keep Hot Things Hot

When you prepare hot foods like stuffing, potatoes, casseroles and meat dishes, they need to remain hot to avoid bacteria from growing. Bacteria growing in the food can lead to food-borne illness. Put away and refrigerate leftover food after 2 hours of being out.

Wash Your Hands

As if we need any other reminders to wash our hands in 2020, but you do. Before and after touching meat, vegetables or fruit, make sure to wash your hands. Especially when moving from raw meat to something else.

Wash knives and cutting boards

When cutting or preparing raw meat, vegetables and fruit, make sure to watch the knives, preparation tools and cutting boards in between each item. This prevents cross-contamination from raw chicken or beef between to fruits and vegetables.

Read the directions

This one is for all the people who like to wing it. Make sure to read the directions. Even fully prepped, meals ready-to-eat (not the brown envelope ones), have directions on reheating. While they can cook from frozen, make sure to cook to the correct internal temperature before fully digging in.

2020 has been a difficult year and it can feel difficult to find what we are grateful for. Keeping the tradition of a holiday meal, and time with no virtual school is worth a little celebration – especially keeping it safely.  Happy and healthy eating to all!

Ah, the season of orange and black, pumpkins and apples. It is time for that all-so-popular caffeinated drink of pumpkin spice latte. Pick up your ingredients at the local commissary and have one at the ready all the time with this recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Latte for 2

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of milk
• 2 TBL pumpkin puree
• 1- 3 TBL brown sugar (or whatever sweetener you prefer: white sugar, stevia, honey, maple syrup, etc)
• 1 Tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 TBL vanilla extract
• ½ c – 1 c hot coffee/espresso

Heat up milk, pumpkin puree, and sweetener of choice in a saucepan. Do not let it come to a boil or the milk can become curdled and burned. Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and hot coffee.

Want to be extra? Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of additional pumpkin pie spice.

Pumpkin Spice Creamer

When you are overseas, holiday items often come a little bit slower. And then once they arrive, you better snatch it up because once they are gone – they are gone!

This led to making my own creamer at home for when I wanted to fulfill that fall flavor. The original recipe was from Food Network, but I found it to be too sweet so I edited it a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of half and half
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• 3 TBL maple syrup (you can go heavy-handed on this if you prefer more sweetness)
• 1 Tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

When we switched to dairy-free as a household for a time, I swapped out the half and half for almond milk. You could also use oat milk or soy milk with the variety of options out there for dairy-free. I have also totally swapped out the milk and vanilla for unsweetened vanilla almond milk and found the flavor to be delish.

Like the Pumpkin Spice Latte, heat the ingredients for the creamer together on the stove to really blend the sugar and ensure the pumpkin pie spice is throughout the creamer. Let cool slightly before storing in a mason jar and storing it in the fridge.

While you may not be overseas where supply chains have the additional transit time, now you can add a touch of fall to any coffee or even tea!

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Latte

This one is really truly easy – swap out your favorite dairy-free milk for regular milk. Oat milk adds an earthy tone which is perfect for any fall drink. Unsweetened almond or soymilk works well as well, allowing for easy flavoring. Unsweetened vanilla almond or soymilk can add a touch of sweetness, without adding vanilla extract which saves time and money! Coconut milk could also be used if that is your favorite.

Will you try a pumpkin spice latte at home? Tell us how it was!

Orange you ready for fall now! 😉

Whether you are moving this summer and looking for quick preparation meals that aren’t from a box, or just want a break from the cooking of the last year – here are 5 quick and easy meals for the summer that require a small amount of effort and are light, refreshing and on the healthy side.

1. Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon: This sweet-and-salty treat is perfect finger food for eating outside on the patio, on the couch, or on a moving box table if you are PCSing this season. It requires no cooking which is perfect for those hot, humid climates or where gas/electricity is pricey during the evening hours. You can mix it up and do ham or spiced turkey instead of prosciutto.
2. Yogurt Parfaits: Make it breakfast for dinner! Line the yogurt of your choice, berries of your choosing, and granola of your choosing up in a line on the counter and let everyone go to town in building and making their own parfait. You can use whatever fruit you have on hand and is local to you, so no special grocery trips just for this! Favorites of banana, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry are traditional choices, but mix it up with kiwi or dragon fruit if you have them! Add local honey to the lineup to assist with combating local allergens and add a little sweetness to dinner (remember: raw honey is not recommended for children under the age of one year old.)
3. Salads galore: An easy, no-cook, and healthy option for summer is a salad. This doesn’t have to be the same salad every week. The beauty of salads is you can really use whatever you wish – any leftovers or local produce can add flavor to your salad while staying within budget and offering a healthier option. Consider using quinoa, kale, spinach, or couscous as a base for the salad instead of romaine lettuce. Chop up or shred whatever meat you have on hand- chicken, steak, fish to the salad. On shopping day, consider picking up a rotisserie chicken and shredding that for the salad – bonus that you don’t have to cook the chicken and you have the beginnings of a beautiful salad.  Want to keep it all veggies – add marinated zucchini, squash, or cucumber for additional flavor and zest without having to cook anything! Don’t forget about adding fruit to salads – mandarin oranges, nectarines, apples, and kiwi add zest, are delicious and just might be a new favorite! Make it a Greek salad by adding in feta with tomatoes, onions, and olives. Make it California-style with avocado and salmon with a base of couscous. Noodle salads are a great way to use noodles as the base to get kids interested in eating salads. Vietnamese noodles don’t require much besides pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit in the water for about 3 minutes. Add lime juice, bean sprouts, shredded veg, and green onions for a quick salad. If your kids are picky eaters and you don’t want to prepare two meals – try adding in things they will eat to the salad to pique their interest – croutons are always a win.
4.  Thai Peanut Wrap:  Mix shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, shelled edamame, chopped scallions, cilantro, and peanuts together and top with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, melted peanut butter, salt, and honey. Mix together and place in a wrap of your choosing – maybe even a lettuce leaf for a lettuce wrap. For those with peanut allergies, you can change up the stuffing to broccoli slaw with chicken and whatever dressing you like. Or maybe layer shrimp with spinach and feta and tomato. The wrap is delicious finger food and can be made easily together as long as you have the ingredients. One of our favorite wraps is “leftover wraps” where anything is added to the wrap – we have done couscous with curry in a wrap and rotisserie chicken with leftover veggies for lunch and dinner. Always a win because leftovers are eaten and enjoyed.
5. Veggie Noodle pasta: The ultimate no-cook dinner is using premade zucchini or squash noodles for the base of pasta. You can rinse them with saltwater, or sprinkle with salt for 8-10 minutes and then rinse with water to soften them.  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and parmesan for a simple but delicious pasta.

When it is hot and humid outside, the last thing we want is to heat the house while cooking. While grilling may be the ultimate summer cooking method, there are no-cook delicious meals for the making, and many are dairy-free!  Happy eating!

Do you have any favorite no-cook meals that you prepare for the summer?