Healthy Zucchini Muffins or Bread the Fruit of our Harvest

We started a modest kitchen garden in the early spring by going to Home Depot in April and selecting a variety of seeds that interested the twins.  They chose carrots, summer squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and I added a tomato plant and a blueberry bush.  I also introduced them to cilantro and basil which are two of my favorite fresh herbs.

The children planted their seeds in clear plastic cups with small drain holes in the bottom.  They carefully watered and watched over them.  They were rewarded with quick roots, and soon after came the first leaves.  As the temperatures warmed up we carved out a small garden area, prepared the soil and planted their "little babies." Our veggies were a little slow to grow because they didn't get enough sun in our garden patch (note to self for next year).  However in mid-August we finally harvested our first zucchini and some small carrots.  We had our first one in a yummy shrimp stir-fry so the kids could see it in a more natural form.  Once we had several squash at once and a small bunch of baby carrots it was time to make zucchini bread.  I searched around for a healthier recipe and none of them seemed just right so I took a couple of different recipes and created one that worked great for us.  We have been nibbling all morning.  

To add some extra interest for the kids I decided to use my William Sonoma Railway Cake Pan.  Once the twins saw me drag that out of the back of the kitchen cabinet I had their full attention.  

I did all the grating for the muffins by hand because I do not have a food processor.  I used two average  size squash (approx. 9 inches).  The kids can help grate the larger pieces under adult supervision.   

Here is the recipe I used: 

Harvest Healthy Zucchini Muffins

2 medium zucchini (about 2 cups) (optional we added a little carrot to fill the 2 cup mark)

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour (I like King Arthur's)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup low fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

optional: chocolate chips or dried fruit

Directions: 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare baking pan or muffin tins with non-stick spray or butter.  Dust the pan with flour make them easier to remove after baking.

2. In a large mixing bowl add the zucchini, sugar, egg, oil, and applesauce.  Mix throughly.  Next add the flours, baking powder, baking soda and combine carefully.  Add the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves and mix until blended.  

3. Add your optional items if you wish.  We didn't add any on this batch.

4. Pour the batter into your pans.  It should be thin like cake batter.  You will have to adjust your bake time based upon the pan you use.  Our train pans bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Use a toothpick to check for doneness (should come out clean).  

Our train muffins came out with tall rounded tops so we cut the rounded parts off and ate some of them so that the trains would sit flat.     

These are so delicious and have so much less sugar than most of the recipes I reviewed.  Enjoy your garden, farmer's market or grocery store veggies today!

Light Carrot Cake with Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

This is probably the best carrot cake recipe I have ever eaten.  I think a lot of carrot cake recipes tend to be too dry but this one is so moist and delicious I keep sneaking extra little bites.  The secret unusual ingredient is the carrot puree (baby food).  The best part is that it is light!

It is great for a spring/Easter brunch, baby shower, or your new summer harvest from your garden.   You will never make a boxed variety again.  For those that like walnuts that would add some extra nutrients as well.  We are a nut free household due to an allergy, but I usually like to add them to carrot cake.

I walk by it on the kitchen counter determined not to have more but then I can't stop myself.  If I just knick another little piece off the side with my knife it doesn't really count, right.

I found this recipe on Cooking Light as a award winner, and a winner it is.  I substituted apple sauce for the oil (I think you could substitute Greek yogurt as well).

photo from Cooking Light (Next time I make it I will try to snap a photo before digging in. ) 

Here is the recipe:

The Best Carrot Cake (Cooking Light Magazine)

Cake:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/3 ounces)
• 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 (2 1/2-ounce) jar carrot baby food
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 1 1/4 cups finely grated carrot (about 4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins 
• Cooking spray

Frosting:

• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened 
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until well blended. Place flour mixture in a large bowl. Combine granulated sugar, canola oil, baby food, and eggs; stir with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Stir in grated carrot and raisins. Spoon batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
4. To prepare frosting, combine cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Spread over cake; sprinkle with coconut. Cover and chill.

Let me know what you think or if you made any changes.

OLYMPICS FOR KIDS- Treats and Games

We are in the heart of Olympic fever and I wanted to get my preschoolers involved in the excitement.  I did some thinking and some web searching and came up with some ideas.  I decided to create a set of games that were appropriate for the 2-5 year old age group and gathered some friends together for a little fun.  I traveled over to Pinterest and found a link to Krissy Creations for her soft baked, frosted sugar cookies and combined them with another Pinterest  Oopsey Daisy where she made olympic ring cupcakes with M&M's.  Here is a photo of ours.

First I had the kids help me make and bake the cookies.   While they were cooling I gave each of the twins a bowl of M&M's to sort by color.  This made them happy and is great activity for preschoolers to review colors and physical properties.  After they cooled sufficiently we frosted them. Finally we practiced another essential preschool skill of patterning.  I made an example of the pattern on a cookie for each of them and then allowed them to copy the pattern based on the example.  This was a little harder for them than I expected, but after a little practice they improve in accuracy.

Next, while they moved onto some quiet plan I assembled the materials for our Olympic Games.  Here is a list of the games:

Olympic Games

Remind your athletes that every athlete in the Olympics represents their country and displays their flag proudly during the opening ceremonies.  While you are setting up the games provide paper and supplies for the kids to decorate their own flags of create team flags if there are enough children.  This will keep them busy for a little bit.  

During the Opening Ceremonies play some inspiring music and allow the kids to parade around the yard or neighborhood with their flag.  Draw a name to be the torch bearer and that person can carry a torch and lead the parade.   We used a paper towel roll covered with aluminum foil and read and orange tissue paper for flames similar to this one from I Can Teach My Kid 

Sponge Pass:  Kids stand in a line and with a bucket of water and large car wash type sponge at the front of the line and an empty bucket at the back of the line.  First kids soaks the sponge and then they pass it through the line over there heads and the last kids squeezes it into the bucket then runs to the front of the line and starts the process again. And they keep rotating so that each person gets a chance at the front and end of the line and they fill the back bucket with water.  

Scoop toss/catch: Using Jai Lai type scoops toss the ball back and forth as many times as you can with out dropping.  If you don't have store bought scoops you can cut the bottom portion off of two gallon milk jug containers with handles. (I often raid the recycling bin).

Egg on a spoon race: 2 teams race from one point to another.  Carry egg on spoon with out dropping to bring to partner and pass successfully from one spoon to another. I used plastic Easter eggs.  You may want to weight them with sand or clay if you have a windy day.

Balloon between the knees race: Athletes go as fast as they can from start to finish line

Ring Toss: You can use a store bought game or create your own with plastic water bottles filled with water or sand for stability.  You can use pool diving rings or make your own by cutting the center circle out paper dinner plates.  The kids throw rings and try to get them on the posts/bottles.

Ball toss into buckets: Use wiffle ball or other light weight ball and have the kids take turns trying to toss balls into bowls or buckets.  You can make this trickier for older kids by placing them in a vertical line and assigning a value to the bowls.  For example the closer bowl would be worth 10 points, next 20, then 30 and so on.

Biathalon: Athletes ride tricycle or bike on chalk path on driveway or sidewalk then get off and run to specified location.

Javelin throw: throw a pool noodle as far as they can.  To add another skill set out a tape measure and have the kids record the length and even graph it on a chart later.

Water balloon toss: see how many tosses before it breaks. A favorite on a hot day!

At the close of the Olympic all of the kids received medals and enjoyed their Olympic Cookies.