I am a mom of twins.  My boys’ have a July 1st birthday… too late for school celebrations but often too soon for a camp party.  This was the scenario this year.  In a moment of birthday celebration frustration, I needed to find a solution to birthday treats.  You see, all June, July, and August birthdays at school are celebrated the last 3 days of class… along with the end of year celebrations.   That is A LOT of cupcakes!

The average class size in NY is 23 students (National Center for Education Development).  Assum ing each student celebrates their birthday at school, that’s 23 cupcakes, the added holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christ mas, Valentine’s Day), special events (100th Day of School, Book Parties, and End of Year Celebrations), and unexpected extras, and you have more that 35 celebrations a year!  If each party includes a cupcake, cookies, or other treats, that’s 35 treats total, or one snack per school day 7 weeks. 

Many schools (Hyde Park Schools included) are asking for help in cutting back on sugar.  So what do you send? 

Here are some healthier options:

Popcorn: Have your child decorate paper cups, small paper bags, or take-out boxes with stickers or markers and then fill with popcorn.

Yogurt Parfaits: In clear plastic cups, layer vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit such as blueberries, strawberries or bananas. (Don’t forget the spoons).

Mini muffins: Carrot, blueberry, and banana are all great choices. Use whole-wheat flour.

Banana or Zucchini: Slice and sprinkle with Confectioner’s Sugar.

Fresh Fruit Skewers: Skewer Apple Slices, Orange Segments, Grapes, Strawberries and other Fruit for a sweet kabob.

Dips: Hummus or Guacamole are great served with whole-grain chips, carrot and celery sticks, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and other fresh Veggies. 

Berries with fresh whipped cream: Fill Cupcake Wrappers with any mixture of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Cinnamon Chips with Fruit Salsa: Take wheat flour tortillas and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle the tortillas with cinnamon sugar; cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp. For the fruit salsa, combine chopped apples, strawberries, kiwis, pineapple and blackberries with a little sugar and lime juice. Serve salsa in mini plastic cups.

Dark Chocolate Dipped Fruits, Pretzels or Popcorn:   If you use a true dark chocolate, 75% cocoa or higher, it will be low in sugar and high in antioxidants. When melting the chocolate it is best to place a pan over boiling water and let the chocolate melt slowly, this will help in avoiding burning.  Never mix milk or water with the chocolate. Though you may find it speeds up the melting time the result will be “tacky” chocolate that never fully dries.  Also, keep in mind dark chocolate has a strong taste and should be used sparingly.

Any one of the choices above are sure to be a hit with both students and staff! And, hey I love to hear from my readers! If you’ve got a great, healthy, inventive snack idea let me know! If you leave your social media information I’ll even give you a shout-out in one of our posts.

Fair season is just about to wrap up! But, this week you can still visit the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY from August 22-August 28th and get your fair fix! One of my favorite (but not my hips’ favorite) part of the fair is the food.  The smell of sweet roasting nuts, the salty aroma of freshly popped popcorn and, the funnel cake….oh the funnel cake.  That hot, sweet, doughy, finger licking, sugar coma inducing goodness. Sorry, did I drool a little? My apologies. So, how would you like to bring that tasty treat into your own kitchen? Well, you can and it’s pretty easy. With a little bit of frying oil and pancake batter, you can bring the taste of the fair into your own home.  Check out my recipe below and see you at the fair!

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for frying
1/3 cup Buttermilk Pancake Mix
1/4-1/3 cup water
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for topping

Materials

8-inch Skillet
Candy Thermometer
Pastry bag (a sandwich bag with a corner cut of will work) or squeeze bottle (i.e. an empty ketchup or mustard bottle)

 

Instructions

Add enough oil to a skillet so it comes about halfway up the side of an 8-inch skillet, and heat it on medium heat until it reaches 360°F. Spoon pancake mix into a 1-cup measuring cup and level it off. Be careful not to pack the mix as you level it.

Whisk together the water, egg and vanilla. Slowly add in pancake mix whisking as you go. Pour batter into a bag/squeeze bottle. You should test the oil to make sure it is hot enough.  Be careful when working with oil as it will sizzle when it comes in contact with moisture. Oil burns are very painful so be mindful while working with it.  Test the heat by dropping a small dot of batter in the pan. It should fry golden brown and sizzle quickly without burning. When oil is ready, quickly squeeze the batter into the pan. You can make a circular motion or, get crazy with some zigging and zagging

Cook about until golden brown on the bottom (30 seconds-1 minute). Flip and cook the other side until golden brown (about 30 seconds). Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

 

We are in the midst of berry season. All of those vibrant, sweet fruits are calling to us from roadside stands, farmer’s markets, and grocery stores. While my children may attempt to devour the berries as soon as they are purchased, I try to hold a few back to use in easy summer recipes.

The refrigerator shelf life for berries is pretty short, especially with strawberries or raspberries. It often seems that you bring them home from the store and find them spoiling within a few short hours. Once you bring your fresh berries home, the key to keeping them fresh is to kill any spores on the fruit. Here is a quick tip to keep your berries fresher, longer:

1-Place the berries in a large bowl and wash them in a vinegar-water bath: 1 cup of white vinegar and 8 cups of water.
2-Let the berries sit in the bath for 2 or 3 minutes, gently moving them to help dislodge any dirt, grime and letting the vinegar kill spores and bacteria.

3-Drain the berries in a colander and rinse the fruit to remove any vinegar flavor.
4- Allow to dry on a towel, gently patting them with paper or cloth towels.
5 -Store the washed and dried fruit in a container that has been lined with paper towels. I prefer to wash the original container they came in and then re-use it.