Window Box Gardening: Grow Summer Veggies Without Outdoor Space!

This time of year makes us all want to pull out the shovel and stick out those green thumbs! Let your family be a part of the “farm to table” movement by growing their own vegetables and serving them in a simple, kid-friendly dish! This great guide from our friends at HGTV on “How to Grow a Mini Farm in a Window Box” lets the whole family get their garden on and requires minimal space and clean up! This kid-friendly, step-by-step video allows the whole family to have a stake in dinner. And once you’ve grown those greens, bring them to the table and get your family cooking!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner. Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children. She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

How long has it been since your family had a family night? With summer break just around the corner now is the time to start a new family tradition! With the kids out of school try scheduling a family night once a week or once every other week. Pick a simple recipe that the whole family can jump in on, and pick a movie or activity the whole family will enjoy. Try Cricket Azima’s simple and delicious recipe for Easy Pizza for your first family night. Everyone can pitch in making the dough, and preparing the toppings, AND everyone can decorate their own mini pizzas!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

It’s almost the end of the school year and kids are ready to jump into summer break! Keep your kids minds sharp this summer with a little extra help from these mind boosting foods from our friends at Cooking Light. Try to incorporate some of these foods into everyday meals to keep the whole family on top of their game!

Blackberries

Whether it’s a new dance or a foreign language, the older you get the harder it is to learn new things. The reason? In order to process new information our brain cells need to “talk” to each another. Yet, as we age those cells become inflamed making it harder for them to communicate with one another. Blackberries can get the conversation flowing again. They provide potent antioxidants known as polyphenols that zap inflammation and encourage communication between neurons, improving our ability to soak up new information according to a 2009 Tufts University study.

Apples

Here’s a new reason to munch on an apple a day: Apples are a leading source of quercetin, an antioxidant plant chemical that keeps your mental juices flowing by protecting your brain cells. According to researchers at Cornell University, quercetin defends your brain cells from free radical attacks which can damage the outer lining of delicate neurons and eventually lead to cognitive decline. To get the most quercetin bang for your buck, be sure to eat your apples with their skins on since that’s where you’ll find most of their quercetin.

Chocolate

You’ve heard the good news that chocolate can lower your blood pressure. Now researchers have discovered it can also keep your mind sharp. A 2009Journal of Nutrition study found that eating as little as one-third of an ounce of chocolate a day (the size of about two Hershey’s kisses) helps protect against age-related memory loss. They credit polyphenols in cocoa with increasing blood flow to the brain.

Spinach

This leafy green is packed with nutrients that prevent dementia like folate, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Just one-half cup of cooked spinach packs a third of the folate and five times the amount of vitamin K you need in a day. Maybe that’s why a 2006 Neurology study reveals that eating three servings of leafy green, yellow and cruciferous vegetables a day can delay cognitive decline by 40%. Of these three, leafy greens were found to be the most protective. Try your spinach drizzled with a little olive oil. Its healthy fats boost absorption of fat-soluble vitamins E and K.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

You may not have heard of them before but ADDLs (or amyloid B-derived diffusible ligands) are Alzheimer’s-inducing proteins that are toxic to the brain. In the initial stages of the disease they attach to brain cells rendering them unable to communicate with one another and eventually leading to memory loss. Extra virgin olive oil may be a potent foe against ADDLs according to research conducted at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, PA last year. It’s rich in oleocanthal, a compound that disables dangerous ADDLs.

Salmon

This swimmer isn’t just good for your ticker, it’s good for your grey matter too. Salmon is a top source of DHA, the predominant omega-3 fat in your brain, believed to protect against Alzheimer’s disease, an illness that affects over five million Americans. It’s also nature’s number one source of hard-to-get vitamin D, a nutrient recently shown to ward off cognitive decline. A study published in the July 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals that older people who are vitamin D deficient are 40% more likely to suffer from age-related memory loss.

Concord Grape Juice

Alzheimer’s researchers like to say what’s good for your heart is good for your brain. Now they’re finding that the same heart-healthy polyphenols in red wine and Concord grape juice can give your brain a boost. When researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine gave 12 older adults with declining memory a daily drink of Concord grape juice or a placebo drink for three months, they found that the volunteers who drank the grape juice significantly improved their spatial memory and verbal learning skills. Researchers believe that – just like blackberries – grape juice polyphenols improve communication between brain cells.

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

There’s nothing like a tasty ice cream sundae on a hot summer’s day. And, now thanks to our friends at Breyers and their new line of delicious sundae toppings, we can keep the words “hot and sticky” to describe the hot summer weather, and not the ice cream toppings! Breyers new line of Easy-Peazy and Squeezy twist top sauce pouches cut out the messy sticky part of jars, AND they are high-fructose corn syrup free! In addition Breyers also has an assortment of fun sprinkles and sweet all-fruit toppings to keep the kids pouring on the fun!

From the Mouth of a Kid:

There’s so many yummy flavors I can choose from and I can pour the caramel and chocolate sauce on myself!! The strawberries are really sweet and tasty!

From the Eyes of a Parent:

Ice cream sundaes are fun treat in the summertime, but the sticky mess that usually goes along with them can be a bit nightmare. Breyers has taken the mess out of our favorite ice cream toppings. The squeezable pouches reduce the mess and also allow the kids to top their own treats. I also feel much better about feeding the kids these toppings because they are free of high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. The fruit toppings taste fresh and homemade while the chocolate and caramel are creamy and so indulgent!

Flavorful Features:

Sauces: hot fudge, caramel and chocolate sauces,

Real fruit toppings: cherry, strawberry and mixed berry

Sprinkles: Chocolate and rainbow sprinkles

The Icing on the Cake:

The sauces are made without high fructose corn syrup! The fruit toppings are made without high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial color or preservatives, and have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving! AND the sprinkles are made without high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Time to Eat?!

A cool after school treat, weekend dessert or a special party/birthday treat!

Good to Go?

Easily transportable to and from events thanks to the twist off tops on the caramel and chocolate sauce pouches. The fruit toppings come in jars and can also be resealed.

Mix it Up!

Add a yummy swirl to frozen or regular yogurt. Or take your ice cream sandwiches to the next level with a fruit topping, sauce, or colorful sprinkles!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Our friends at Cooking Light are searching for the healthiest, tastiest lunch—for school or office—in the country. Share your original healthy lunch photo and description for the chance to appear on CookingLight.com and in the pages of Cooking Light. The top 10 finalists will win $100 and a Cooking Light cookbook.

ENTER NOW – IT’S EASY!

1. Upload your photo in one of two eligible categories: Lunchbox for Kids – OR – Office Brown-Bag Lunch.

• Be sure your lunch follows the ChooseMyPlate.gov guidelines—balanced with half the meal made up of fruit and veggies, whole grains when possible, and lean protein.
• Lunches cannot require cooking once packed, but they can be reheated in the microwave.

2. Include a brief description of what makes your lunch so delicious and nutritious.

Nominations are open April 10-May 24. Finalists will be announced the following week and voting will open at that time. Check back for more details!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

May 17^th: Food Revolution Day with Jamie Oliver!

If you’ve been friends of The Creative Kitchen for a while you’ve heard us sing Jamie Oliver’s praises over and over! As an acclaimed chef, author, and television personality, Jamie has devoted his career to educating the world about making better food choices and has lobbied for healthier food in schools through his various charities including: The Better Food Foundation (UK), The Jamie Oliver Food Foundation (US), and The Good Foundation (AUS).

This month, we can all join Jamie and crew in “taking a stand for good food and essential cooking skills” by joining in the Food Revolution Day activities happening in your area. Individuals, school groups, community centers and more will come together on May 17^th to share cooking skills, knowledge, and most importantly, delicious food! To find out where Food Revolution Day activities are taking place in your community or to take charge and organize your own event, visit the Food Revolution Website.

Need some ideas for your own Food Revolution Day festivities? Get inspired by some of our favorite examples from the Food Revolution Community:

• Show community farmers some love and create your own  “Hug a Farmer Day”. The public school community in Toronto Canada is celebrating by gathering kids and parents to meet, greet, appreciate, and yes…HUG Toronto area farmers!
• Take a tip from Scoop Nutrition blog in Melbourne, Australia and host a “Jamie Oliver Cook-Off”! Kids can choose their favorite recipe from Jamie’s archive, source local ingredients, and share with family and friends on May 17^th!
• Make it a party like Disco Salad in Vienna, Austria and host children’s cooking classes using fresh, local ingredients while grooving to disco music! Funky and fun!
• Download the printable stickers, flyers, and coloring pages on the Food Revolution Day website to help spread the word!

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

These little nuggets of salty goodness satisfy any crunchy craving! Our friends at Inka Crops have created a mighty tasty snack that is low in fat and calories, making it a perfect crispy snack for the whole family to enjoy. AND Inka Corn is made from all-natural roasted corn, so it has no trans fats, and is good for our bodies!

From the Mouth of a Kid

I like the loud crunch sound they make in my mouth! They taste like corn chips too!

From the Eyes of a Parent

When we’re having a family movie night, sometimes we all crave a something a little salty and crunchy, and these would be perfect snack! Their kernel shapes make it really easy to control portions, and I don’t have to worry about the fat and calories of microwave popcorn or chips.

Flavorful Features

Inka Corn is available in Original, Chile Picante, Barbecue, Ranch, Low Sodium, and Sea Salt and Vinegar flavors.

The Icing on the Cake

The same satisfaction as a bag of chips but only 130 calories per serving!

Time to Eat

Inka Corn is perfect for board game night or in place of chips in the kids’ lunch bags! 

Mix It up

Toss them on a big colorful salad as a delicious alternative to croutons! 

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Natalie Kalb

Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Mercadito Hospitality

With Mother’s Day just around the corner it’s time to celebrate that special super-mama in your life. The woman that can prepare a healthful breakfast, give a morning cuddle, pack delicious well-balanced lunches, and get everybody out the door on time all before 8 a.m. We can all celebrate the terrific women in our lives this Mother’s Day, Sunday May 12th with these cute kid-centric tips from The Creative Kitchen.

Mother’s Day Classes

City Treehouse

Ages 2 to 5. May 4th, 11:00AM – 12:00PM

Make-and-Take Mother’s Day Treats. Come on by as Cricket Azima and The Creative Kitchen help kids create presents for Mother’s Day! Children will have lots of fun and keep their hands busy as they prepare tasty treats to give to deserving moms! Mothers can expect to be gifted with a delicious scone mix and yummy, edible flowers! To register please call 212-255-2050.

Whole Foods Bowery Culinary Center

Ages 2 to 6. May 11th, 12:00PM – 1:00PM

Ages 7 to 10. May 11th, 2:00PM – 3:30PM

Calling all Supermoms… bring your kids and join us for a fun, interactive Mother’s Day lunch! Get a jump-start on your special day tomorrow by enjoying a cooking workshop together with your child, and let us help you celebrate YOU! On the Menu: Chilled Green Goddess Soup; Strawberry-Spinach Salad and Champagne Vinaigrette: Chocolate-Cherry Scones; Lavender Lemon Spritzers.

Recipes

Click here for Cricket Azima’s Fizzy Punch

Click here for Cricket Azima’s Breakfast Cake

Recipe for a Mother’s Day to Remember

• On Mother’s Day reward mom with a little something we could all use…extra sleep! Let the kids enjoy a morning out gathering fun things for Mom’s brunch with a loved one while she catches some extra zzz’s.  Just don’t forget some flowers!

• Now it’s brunch time! Begin by turning on some of your favorite tunes, get the kids in the kitchen to help make Cricket Azima’s delicious “Breakfast Cake,” and lastly stir up a pitcher of Cricket Azima’s signature Fizzy Punch for a scrumptious finish to this delicious meal!

• Now that mom has had some extra sleep and a delicious brunch, she will be ready for the day! Take her on a family outing and , head to Whole Foods Bowery Culinary Center for an interactive Mother’s Day Lunch with The Creative Kitchen. 

The Creative Kitchen™, LLC, teaches children about food and how to cook in a fun, safe, and educational manner.  Targeting families with children ages two to teen, the company focuses on teaching, writing creative content and curriculum, special events, recipe development, spokesperson work, webisode production and consulting to present educational and entertaining content through food-related activities. The founder, Cricket Azima, is an expert in cooking for and with children.  She inspires kids to express themselves creatively through food and cooking, while complementing lessons with traditional educational material such as social studies, math, arts, science, and more. Visit www.thecreativekitchen.com for more information.

Little bodies need lots of nutrients to grow big and strong! A great way to pack lots of nutrients into one meal is by eating a well-rounded meal. Our friends at Cooking Light have partnered with USDA’s MyPlate to create several tasty  recipes, that are nutritious quick AND easy! Sure to be a hit with the family these recipes include a variety of grains, vegetables, and protein!

Recipes

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

A three-minute dip into a pungent cilantro-lime marinade is all that’s needed to deliver big flavor to chicken breasts. Serve with saffron rice. Click here for the recipe.

Tofu with Red Curry Paste, Peas, and Yellow Tomatoes

The red curry paste in this ethnic dish is a blend of clarified butter, curry powder, vinegar, and other seasonings. Use either Indian or Asian curry paste; it comes in mild and hot versions and can be modified to suit your preference. Click here for the recipe.

Mango Shrimp Kebabs

These fresh-flavored mango shrimp skewers are ready to enjoy in just 25 minutes and are a great option for entertaining when the weather is warm. Click here for the recipe.