Easter Bunny Breakfast!

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After all the excitement of Easter morning with the kiddies, why not keep the fun going with an extra special healthy breakfast.  Making healthy fun is what we are all about at Kids Eat Smart NL.  Eggs are a delicious and nutritious protein source for breakfast.  Serve this Easter bunny with a fresh smoothie or a bowl of fruit to enjoy a balanced breakfast on Easter morning.

Hard Boiled Easter Bunny

What you’ll need:

  • eggs (you’ll need one egg to make two chicks and two eggs to make one bunny)
  • black sesame seeds
  • baby carrots
  • fresh rosemary, chives or parsley stems

To Make The Bunny:

  1. Slice one egg in half lengthwise. One half will be the bunny’s body. Place on a plate.
  2. Slice the other half in half again. These will become the ears.
  3. Take another egg and cut it in half horizontally. One half will be the head. Use the remaining half to make two feet and a bunny tail.
  4. If the egg pieces are rolling around on the plate, slice a small bit of white off the back so they stay firmly on the plate.

Recipe & Image sourced from: https://www.cbc.ca/parents/food/view/edible-easter-eggs-make-chicks-and-bunnies

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Easter Egg Fruit Tarts!

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Easter break is soon here and making breakfast fun during the holidays will help kids get excited about healthy eating, and this is a great recipe to have kids help prepare.

We encourage students to help prepare meals in their KES Clubs.  Established food safety practices are in place and procedures are followed; such as proper hand washing and use of glove and hair nets, and this is important.  At our KES Clubs, kids are welcome to help prepare and serve breakfast each morning.

Try this fun recipe at your Kids Eat Smart Club this week or next week at home with the kids.

Easter Egg Fruit Tart

Ingredients

    • 1 cup almond butter (check on nut allergies in your school)
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cup oats, dry
    • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt, vanilla
    • 3/4 cup strawberries
    • 3/4 cup blueberries
    • 1 medium banana
    • 3/4 cup grapes, green

Instructions

  1. In a microwave safe bowl, add almond butter, honey, vanilla and salt.  Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth.
  2. Take 1 cup of the oats and place in a blender. Blend until the oats are finely chopped and resembles flour. Set aside.
  3. Add the other cup of oats to the almond butter mixture and stir.  Slowly add in a little of your homemade oat flour at a time until you get a mixture that you can form into a crust.  Depending on your brand almond butter the amount of flour may vary.
  4. Take small amounts of the mixture and form Easter egg shaped disks. Place onto parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
  5. Once all the Easter eggs are formed, spread on a layer of greek yogurt. Top with sliced fruit to make your designs and enjoy!

Recipe & Image sourced from: https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/no-bake-easter-egg-fruit-tarts/

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL. 

Easter Fruit Cups!

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This week, here is a fun way to get excited about Easter at your KES Club.  All you need for this recipe is fruit cups and markers.  Easy and a fun way to serve festive fruit at your KES Club.

Kids will love these little chicken cups!

Chickie Bird Easter Fruit Cups

All you need for this cute snack:
– single serving fruit cups; peaches or tangerines
– a black sharpie
– an orange sharpie

Recipe & Image sourced from: https://diyall.net/home-design-inspiration/crafts/diy-crafts-chickie-bird-fruit-cups-for-an-easter-party-or-kids-lunch-via-kami-bigler-nob/

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Easter Bunny Fruit Tray

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With Easter just around the corner, it is nice to serve something to get kids excited about Easter.  An easy way to make your KES Club festive is to create festive shapes out of fresh fruit.  Try serving fruit in the shape of a colorful Easter egg or a Easter bunny.  We encourage all of our Clubs to serve fruit each and every day.   This week have the kids help out with this one, at your KES Club.

Easter Bunny Fruit Tray

Ingredients

  • 1 honeydew melon, halved crosswise and seeded
  • 1 large fresh strawberry
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries
  • 6 mandarin oranges or clementine’s
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries
  • 2 cups red and/or green grapes

Directions

  1. Use a melon baller to remove the fruit from one melon half. Lay the hollowed melon in the center of a large platter. Using a sharp knife, cut 2 slices from the remaining melon half for ears. Trim the ends of the slices to a point, reserving a small trimming for the mouth. Use the melon baller to scoop the remaining fruit.
  2. Arrange face as shown. The trick for the blueberries: Trim the bottoms so they sit flat. Cut one orange into slices. Pull the peel from two of the pieces and center one on each bunny ear.
  3. To create orange flowers: Score remaining oranges lengthwise, being careful not to slice all the way through the fruit. Arrange the remaining fruit as shown. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe & Image sourced from: https://www.parents.com/recipe/fruity-cottontail/?utm_campaign=pmm_1269&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pin

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Banana Whole Grain Pancakes!

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With the release of the new Canada’s Food Guide we are getting questions about Whole Grains.  It is suggested we choose whole grain foods because they have important nutrients such as fibre. vitamins & minerals. A great tip is, when you read the ingredient list and choose foods that have the word “whole grain” followed by the name of the grain as one of the first ingredients like whole grain oats and whole grain wheat.  Whole wheat foods are not whole grain, but can still be a healthy choice as they do contain fibre.

Try this whole grain pancake recipe in your KES Club this week:

Banana Whole Grain Pancakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole grain flour
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup Skim milk
  • 1 tbsp Canola oil
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together all purpose and whole grain flours, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder and soda and salt; set aside.
  2. In another bowl, mash bananas with fork until very mushy. Stir in eggs until combined. Add milk, oil, lemon juice and vanilla and stir together until well combined. Pour over flour mixture and stir until moistened.
  3. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
  4. Pour about 60 mL (¼ cup) of the batter onto pan and cook for about 3 minutes or until small bubbles start to appear on top.
  5. Flip and cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until golden on the other side.
  6. Repeat in batches with remaining batter.

 

Information sourced from: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

Recipe sourced from: https://www.cookspiration.com/recipe.aspx?perma=DBADF4ECD59&d=6&i=2&s=1

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Healthy Mini Fruit Pizza!

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This recipe seems fitting with the sun shining and the warmer weather on its way.  Anytime you serve fruit in a fun and creative way, kids get more excited about healthy eating.  This is a simple recipe that you may have ingredients on-hand – and it’s just placing them together in a fun pizza shape.  Feel free to use any fruit you may have and get the kids to help with this one at your KES Club this week.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium tortilla, whole wheat
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 tablespoon orange juice

Toppings

    • 1/4 cup strawberries
    • 1/4 cup kiwi
    • 1/4 cup mandarin oranges, canned in juice
    • 1/4 cup blackberries
    • 1/4 cup grapes, green

Instructions

  1. Using a small cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut circles into tortillas. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, blend together yogurt, honey, vanilla and orange juice until fully blended.
  3. Slice strawberries; peel kiwi and slice; drain oranges and slice into smaller pieces; slice blackberries and grapes into quarters.
  4. Spread yogurt mixture onto tortillas and top with fruit.

Recipe & Image sourced from: https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/healthy-fruit-pizza-minis/

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL. 

Make Ahead Berry Breakfast Parfait!

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Many of our Kids Eat Smart Clubs serve parfaits, and kids love them.  Berry breakfast parfaits are simple.  This recipe in particular is great for breakfast club because you can make them ahead of time.  Most of our KES Clubs have teams of volunteers, and some volunteers are not able to help out early mornings for breakfast service but are able to stop by the school in the afternoons or evenings to help prep for the days ahead; this time works excellent for those volunteers. Try this recipe next week at your KES Club.

Make-Ahead Berry Breakfast Parfait

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (250 mL) large-flake rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) ground flax seeds (optional)
  • 3 cups (750 mL) 2% plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (500 mL) blueberries, sliced strawberries and/or raspberries

Preparation

In a skillet over medium heat, toast large-flake rolled oats and, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 min or until golden and fragrant. Immediately transfer to a bowl and let cool. Stir in flax seeds (if using).

In a bowl, whisk together yogurt and vanilla. Alternately layer oat mixture, yogurt and berries in four individual 1-1/2-cup (375 mL) reusable containers with lids or tall glasses.

Seal with lids or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.

Recipe & Image sourced from: https://www.dairygoodness.ca/recipes/make-ahead-berry-breakfast-parfaits

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Serving Different Fruit!

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Serving frozen fruit is such a great option all year round, but another way to get kids excited about eating fruit is to try and serve them fruit they may not have tried before.  Each month, one of our KES Clubs offers fruits kids may not have had before.

Many of our Clubs serve apples, oranges, bananas and sometimes berries, but when available, we not try serving something different like mango, kiwi, watermelon or pineapple!  What about Jackfruit?

It is  a great source of fibre, protein and antioxidants and this week at one of our Clubs, the children loved it.  Try a new fruit this week at your KES Club and see how the kids react.

Our photo features Jack from Beachy Cove Elementary eating Jackfruit.

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Serving Frozen Fruit!

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It’s a fact that during Winter months in our province of Newfoundland and Labrador, it is sometimes hard to get fresh fruit.  We hear all the time from our KES Clubs that serving fresh fruit all year round can be a challenge. Our goal is to serve fruit daily and we encourage all our clubs to come up with different ways to do so. Canned and frozen fruit can be just as nutritious as fresh.  Many of our Clubs stock up on frozen fruit when it’s on sale and serve smoothies regularly and the kids love them! Try this smoothie this week at your KES Club:

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2)

  • 1 container (6 oz) Greek Fat Free strawberry yogurt
  • 1 1/2 cups mill
  • 1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
  • 1 medium banana, sliced (1 cup)

Directions

  1. In blender, place ingredients. Cover; blend on high speed about 30 seconds or until smooth.
  2. Pour into 2 glasses; serve immediately.

Recipe & Imaged Adapted from: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-strawberry-banana-smoothies/f6113dc6-93ef-4417-9f42-7c20082c90b1

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.

Sunny Spring Veggie Egg Cups!

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With the sun shining and the temperatures finally getting a tiny bit warmer, there are signs of spring just around the corner.  Kids are wanting to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and are more eager to get up in the mornings for school.  Starting the day with a healthy breakfast gives kids energy to start their day off right.  Including protein foods with breakfast is part of a balanced meal, and Eggs are a great source of protein.  Try preparing this fun egg recipe this week at your Kids Eat Smart Club.

Spring Veggie Egg Cups

Ingredients

    • 4 large – egg
    • 1 cup, chopped – onion
    • 3 cup – peas and carrots, frozen
    • 1 cup – cottage cheese
    • 1 cup – mozzarella cheese
    • 1 cup – Parmesan cheese, grated
    • dash – salt
    • 2 teaspoon – butter, unsalted

Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 F and fill a standard-sized muffin tin with silicone liners. (You can also try brushing a metal muffin tin with butter, but they might not pop out as flawlessly as they do from silicone.)
    2. In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped onions. Saute until soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
    3. Stir in the frozen peas and carrots until they’re just warmed through, then remove from heat and salt to taste.
    4. In a large mixing bowl, fork-whisk eggs, cottage cheese, Mozzarella, and Parmesan.
    5. Fold in the vegetable mixture.
    6. Scoop the egg and veggie mixture into 12 silicone muffin cups.
    7. Bake 15-20 minutes until egg is set. Let cool slightly before serving.

Info, Image and Recipe Adapted from: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/ & https://www.superhealthykids.com/spring-veggie-egg-cups/ 

Kristin Hedges is a Registered Dietitian with Kids Eat Smart Foundation NL.