Archive for December, 2010

Great Gifts for Young Chefs

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Have a little one who loves to help in the kitchen? You can help encourage that interest with a few of these colorful and fun gifts:

1) Colorful spatulas: Your little ones can stir, they can mix, they can even just wave them around and still have fun in the kitchen. Find one in your little chef’s favorite color; or give them a rainbow of colors.

2) Colorful measuring cups: Even the smallest chef can help you in the kitchen if he has his own measuring cups. Simply help him measure out the quantities and then let him shout out, “DUMP!” We like these mouse cups from Kuhn Rikon.

3) Work boards: Colorful cutting boards are easy to clean, plus they give your little chef a defined work space to claim as her own. We’re partial to this cheery little tomato board (imagine that) and other vegetable shapes.

4) Mini baking pans: Baking is fun; baking on a small scale is even more fun. Find some small pans so your young chef can make miniature loaves of bread, tiny batches of cookies - or even better, teeny-tiny muffins.

5) Cookie cutters: For your little chef, cookie cutters aren’t just for cookies. You can also use them on bread for sandwiches or to make fun shapes out of your French toast, pancakes or omelettes.

6) Rolling pin: What better job for a kid chef than rolling out some dough? It keeps them occupied and there’s no way they can mess up. Although plain wooden rolling pins are best for the non-stick factor, this green one from the Curious Chef also comes with a non-stick surface.

7) Egg beater: Sure, they’re old-fashioned, but a hand-held egg beater is a great way to put your chef in charge of the morning eggs (or just about any liquid that needs mixing).

8 ) Nut grinder: Who doesn’t love watching those little nuts go down the chute and turn into crumbs? Again, it’s old-fashioned, but a manual nut grinder is a great way for your little one to have some hands-on activity in the kitchen.

9) Decorating set: If you’re going to work in the kitchen, you might as well make something pretty. Look for a decorating set that has a few different tips and some easy-squeeze bottles for frosting cakes and icing cookies.

10) Personalized apron: Your little chef will want to get right to work with her own apron. She’ll be proud to wear it – and even better; she’ll be less likely to spill stuff on her clothes.

Happy gift-giving – and happy cooking!

Posted Under: Just For Fun | Tags: , , , , , , ,
This post was written by jollytomato on December 20th, 2010

Fun Food Saturday: French Toast

Saturday, December 18th, 2010

Good old French toast. It’s one of our favorite foods, and it’s so versatile it can either be a fancy treat for a holiday breakfast, or just  a way to use up old bread on a regular morning. This morning Jolly Tomato’s mom made some delicious French toast with thickly sliced challah bread (she swears it’s the best way to do it) and we piled it high with chopped fresh pineapple and dried cranberries.

The basic French toast recipe is pretty simple: Dunk slices of bread in an egg/milk mixture, and then fry it in a pan. But it’s the simplicity that lends itself to hundreds of variations. You can use white bread, whole-grain wheat bread, or even banana bread. You can dunk it in a cinnamon-flavored egg mixture or an orange-juice soaked one. And who says the bread has to be in plain square slices? This morning while Grandma used regular slices of bread, we were inspired to use cookie cutters to make our own whimsically shaped variations.

Once we had a few shapes made, we started thinking a little more outside the box. We love sweet-tasting French toast, so a star with five chocolate chip points was a big score at the breakfast table (our boys don’t like syrup very much, for whatever reason). But then we were thinking about how much we love a classic croque-monsieur so we decided to make a ham-and-cheese French toast Christmas tree. (Top a piece of French toast with thinly sliced ham, some grated cheese, and some diced red pepper, then toast in the toaster oven just until the cheese melts.)

The variations don’t stop there. Need a vegan version? This Holiday Tangerine French Toast from Healthy Happy Life fits the bill. We like these French Toast Breakfast Muffins from EasyFunSchool and we’re fascinated by this French Toast Baked Tofu from Carrots ‘n’ Cake. And if you’re into the more savory varieties like we are, try these Savory French Toast Bites from Foodie Reflections. And then when you’re ready for a festive, filling treat, try a stuffed French toast recipe like this Stuffed French Toast with strawberries and cream cheese from Tasty Kitchen. Now you’re set for Christmas morning – and beyond.

Fun Food Saturday: Because food should be fun.

(Photos courtesy of Jolly Tomato’s dad)

Posted Under: Just For Fun | Tags: , , , , ,
This post was written by jollytomato on December 18th, 2010

Friday Food News Feed: Dec. 17

Friday, December 17th, 2010

The Jolly Tomato is temporarily re-located to the frigid East Coast for the holidays, but we’ll do our best to keep blogging while staying warm and enjoying time with the family.

Let’ start with the big news from Monday, which is that President Obama signed the $4.5 billion Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act into law. The bill will reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act through 2015.  To get some perspective on the changes that are afoot, check out this cool graphic from Obama Foodorama that gives a sample school lunch menu before and after the passage of the bill. But, as Bettina over at The Lunch Tray points out, it remains to be seen how rigorous the standards regulating junk foods will really be. And as Michelle Obama said, parents don’t want schools undermining the healthy eating habits that they have established at home.

For a completely different take on what the bill could mean for kids, take a moment to read this moving account by Food Woolf of her memories of having to go hungry as a kid. Reading this piece will surely move you to want to do something, so consider a donation to Share our Strength ($25 can help feed a child three meals a day for a month, $100 will give 25 full grocery bags of healthy food to a hungry family).

Kids’ Holiday Eating: Did you know that Jolly Tomato made another appearance on the Huffington Post this week? This time we give you five tips to help your kids stay healthy throughout the holiday season. Check it out here.

Sweet Cereals: Put away those Cocoa Pebbles and Frosted Flakes: A new study from our friends over at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity finds that kids will happily eat nutritious, low-sugar cereals if given the choice. In fact, many compensated for the sugar by eating more fruit.

Eat Your Fruits: Also in the news, a new study of Hong Kong schoolchildren has found that kids who do not like to eat fruits or vegetables are 13 more likely to develop functional constipation than those who do.

Happy Meals?: And the war on Happy Meals continues: A Sacramento mother and the Center for Science in the Public Interest has sued McDonalds, alleging that its practice of giving toys with children’s meals is deceptive to children (via the L.A. Times).

Old Food: Could those apples you’re eating have been picked six months ago? Is the orange juice you’re drinking more than a year old? Don’t be too sure your “fresh” food is very fresh, says Fooducate, because chances are it’s been treated so that it can stay on the grocery shelves as long as possible.

Old Soup: Last but not least, something that doesn’t have to do with kids’ nutrition per se, but will probably be interesting to the kids: Scientists in China have discovered a 2,400-year-old bowl of soup, containing some liquid and bones. And you thought that fruitcake was old…

Happy Friday to all!

Posted Under: Childhood Obesity, Government Regulations, Nutrition | Tags: , , , , , , ,
This post was written by jollytomato on December 17th, 2010
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