The kids are back in school and that means back to hectic morning routines and crazy after-school schedules. With all the excitement during the back-to-school season, it can be hard to prepare healthful breakfasts and snacks for your kids. Recently, Cricket shared with NY1 parenting correspondent, Shelley Goldberg, her tips and tricks for quick and easy breakfasts and snacks to give your kids a great start to the school year. Click below to view the video and continue reading for the delicious and nutritious recipes by Cricket and The Creative Kitchen team!

Breakfast Cupcakes

Breakfast cupcakes are a great go-to for busy weekday mornings. They can be made over the weekend and individually wrapped for a perfectly portioned, instant breakfast – just reheat and serve! This recipe is also great for your leftover vegetables. No need to go out and buy the exact ones featured in the recipe, just use whatever you have on hand for a quick and simple meal!

Click here to view the recipe! (This recipe is for a Breakfast Cake. To make Breakfast Cupcakes, bake them in a muffin tin instead of a skillet!)
 
 

Math Time Munchies Trail Mix 

Between picking kids up from school and driving them to football games or dance rehearsal, there is little time for healthful afternoon snacks. Our Math Time Munchies Trail Mix is great for on-the-go snacking and can be customized to your kids’ allergies and tastes! Making this Trail Mix with your kids is a great way to practice their math skills – practice counting while setting out the ingredients, fractions while measuring, and addition while combining the ingredients together!

Click here to view the recipe!
 
 

Polka Dot Pudding

Polka Dot Pudding is a sweet treat that’s yummy enough to have for dessert and healthful enough to have for breakfast or as a snack! Save time in the morning or after school by preparing this creamy, fruit-filled rice pudding ahead of time. Simply combine the cooked rice and coconut milk in a bowl and refrigerate. Then top with your kids’ favorite fruits when you’re ready to serve!

View the recipe below!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked rice (preferably Asian sticky rice or brown rice)
• 1 mango
• 2 bananas
• 2 kiwis
• 12 to 15 strawberries
• 1 14-oz. can coconut milk
• 1 cup dried shredded coconut (optional and to taste)
• Optional: 2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or agave (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Put the cooked rice into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Peel and dice the mango, bananas, and kiwi and add them to the bowl of rice.
3. Remove the stems from the strawberries, cut the fruit into small pieces, and add to the bowl.
4. Stir the coconut milk into the bowl and mix well.
5. If using, add the sugar, honey, or agave to the bowl and stir together.
6. At this point, either add the dried shredded coconut to the bowl and stir together, or the shredded coconut may be added to the top of the pudding as a garnish.

Serves 8 to 10

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.

This Cinco de Mayo, spice up your every-day guacamole with these mouthwatering mix-ins from our friends at iVillage. Get the kids involved by letting them mash the avocados and choosing which ingredients to add!

Guacamole con Granada

This recipe, from New York’s Toloache restaurant, has apple, mango, and pomegranate seeds for a fresh, fruity twist.

Click here for the recipe.

Artichoke-amole

What if all your favorite party dips joined together to form the supergroup of spreads? Part guacamole, part artichoke dip, part tapenade, this creamy green spread is 100 percent tasty–and surprisingly healthy to boot!

Click here for the recipe.

Green Pea Guacamole

This recipe cuts calories and fat by substituting green peas for some of the avocado. Serve with baked tortilla chips for guilt-free snacking!

Click here for the recipe.

Looking for a fun, last-minute St. Patty’s Day treat to brighten your family’s day? Our friends at iVillage have a handful of nutrient-packed and creative ideas that are easy to assemble and a great way to get the kids in the spirit! 

Fruit Rainbow

Use your family’s favorite fruits to create a rainbow! Children can get involved by picking out which fruits to use for each color. With just a handful of fruits, this idea is simple to put together and will last a few hours without refrigeration. Click here for this fun idea.

Vegetable Rainbow

Don’t have any fruit on hand? Uses vegetables such as grape tomatoes, peppers, or carrots to create a colorful arch. Add a pot of gold using rice crackers or baked vegetable chips, and a cloud of yogurt or cottage cheese that doubles as a dip! Click here for this fun idea.

Shamrock Pizzas

Looking for something that’s more of a main attraction? Create mini four-leaf clover pizzas by topping halved whole wheat bagels or whole wheat toast with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, and sliced green peppers. Click here for this fun idea.

Shamrock Quesadillas

Mmmmm popsicles! These frozen fruity treats from our friends at iVillage will disappear in the blink of an eye. Little chefs can help make these yummy, healthful treats and then enjoy them together afterwards! By making your own rather than purchasing store-bought popsicles, you can give your family with the sweet frozen treats they love, but this time filled with good for you ingredients!

Sweet and Tangy

Kids and adults will love the mild tartness of these sophisticated Cherry Lime Ice Pops, made with just water, sugar, and lime juice.

Click here for the recipe!

Marvelous Melon

If you want something different than your usual berry-flavored treats, check out this recipe! Mix water, sugar, mint leaves, lime zest and cantaloupe (and skip the small amount of rum in the recipe) to make these delicious Cantaloupe Popsicles totally kid-friendly.

Click here for the recipe!

Watermelon Cooler

Watermelon is always juicy and refreshing, but kick up the cool-treat factor a notch by freezing it into pops! Blend six cups of watermelon pieces (without rinds and seeds, of course) with one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice and one tablespoon freshly grated lime zest. Pour into Dixie Cups or popsicle molds and enjoy–preferably on the back porch.

Strawberry Overflow

Getting Kids to eat fresh summer strawberries isn’t usually hard (it’s not kale, after all), but we can practically guarantee a way to get those vitamin-packed goodies consumed: Make strawberry popsicles! Remove the hulls from a pint of strawberries and throw them in the blender. Add enough sugar-free juice to cover the berries, blend for 20 to 30 seconds and pour into popsicle molds. Let them harden overnight in the freezer; watch them disappear the next day.

Click here for the recipe!

Peachy Keen

These peaches-and-creme popsicles are a healthier spin on those old orange Push-Ups. Blend peaches, water, yogurt, lime juice, honey and bananas all together and pour into cups, then stick them in the freezer. Before the liquid solidifies completely, place the popsicle sticks through the top. Freeze again overnight and enjoy the drip-on-your-chin goodness.

Click here for the recipe!

Blueberry Bliss

Want to keep things simple in the kitchen? This sweet treat only calls for three ingredients (seriously!). Buy a can of blueberries, drain and save the juice, then blend the berries with one tablespoon of the juice. For the meat of your pop, use two cups of lemon yogurt and whisk in 1/2 a cup of milk. Alternate between blueberry and yogurt mixture while spooning into your molds and finish your blueberry pops by spooning one tablespoon of the remaining blueberry juice onto each pop and swirling with a knife. Yum!

Click here for the recipe!

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.

Looking for a fun summertime breakfast on the go?! Our friends at iVillage have created this recipe for an on the go breakfast staple that is simple to assemble, and nutrient packed! And it has surprise fun factor-built in….it’s a popsicle! 

Breakfast of Champions

A popsicle for breakfast? Yes, when the popsicle is this healthy, frozen-and-dipped banana! Grab your usual go-to breakfast grub–bananas, yogurt and Cheerios–then halve each banana and place a popsicle stick through the thick end. Dip in your favorite creamy yogurt, roll in Cheerios and freeze overnight. Breakfast to go!

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.

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.

Why color Easter eggs with chemicals when you can use the natural color present in other foods?! Get in the kitchen with your little chefs this Easter with these egg decorating tips from our friends at iVillage! Have little hands cut up fruits and vegetables with kid safe knives, to help in the dye making process. AND this is a great way to teach kids their colors and teach them about different fruits and veggies! So hop into the kitchen now and get those eggs ready for the Easter Bunny! 

Easter’s right around the corner, which means it’s time to dye those eggs! But instead of picking up a kit at the grocery store, skip the chemicals and use what you have on hand to create homemade, all-natural Easter egg dyes.

Not only will you be able to eat those hard-boiled eggs without worrying about chemicals, there’s something magical about using an ordinary bunch of beets or a handful of cabbage leaves to create gorgeous, vibrant dyes. And while you’re dipping and dyeing, you’ll introduce kids to all sorts of foods they might not know about yet.

Here are some common ingredients that make great Easter egg colors:

Blue: red cabbage, blueberries

Red/Pink: beets, paprika, Red Zinger tea, strawberries, cherries, cranberries

Purple: grape juice, blackberries

Orange: yellow onion skins

Yellow: ground tumeric, carrots, yellow apple peels

Brown: coffee

The beauty of natural dyes is that no two batches are the same, so results will vary – which is all part of the science experiment fun. Here is a basic recipe for making an egg dye, but feel free to tinker!

For fruits and vegetables: 
1 cup of chopped fruits or vegetables
2 cups water
¼ cup white vinegar

Place the fruits or vegetables and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve or colander, reserving the liquid. Add the vinegar and stir until combined. Let cool to room temperature and dye your hard-boiled eggs. The longer the eggs sit in the dye, the brighter they will be.

For ground spices: 
4 – 5 Tbsp. of ground spices
2 cups of water
¼ cup white vinegar

Place the spices and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve or colander, reserving the liquid. Add the vinegar and stir until combined. Let cool to room temperature and dye your hard-boiled eggs. The longer the eggs sit in the dye, the brighter they will be.

For liquids like tea or juice: Do not add water, just mix ¼ cup white vinegar into 2 cups of liquid. If using tea, make the tea in 2 cups water, then let it cool and add the ¼ cup vinegar.

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.

Feed your little sweethearts something sweet on Valentine’s day, AND good for their bodies too! Our friends at iVillage put together these scrumptious snacks that are adorable, easy to assemble and healthful too. 

Pancake Love Notes
For kids who “heart” pancakes, start the day with a sweet breakfast message. Put pancake batter in a squeeze bottle and help your kids spell out Valentine love notes or X’s and O’s. For a healthy twist, try this Green Tea Oatmeal Pancake recipe from Lisa Marie Nocera of Smart Food and Fit. Get the recipe.

Apple Heart Sandwiches
Who needs bread for a sandwich? Let the apples of your eye build their own healthy snack sammies. We love this idea from Happy Together, which combines sliced apples, peanut butter, granola and chocolate chips. Make it festive by using a heart shaped cookie cutter to “core” each apple slice. Get the how-to details.

Chocolate Pretzel Dippers Pretzel Sticks
Pretzel sticks get a seriously cute upgrade when they’re dipped in milk chocolate (or dark for you, mama) and topped with a candy heart. (Serve them up in a pretty paper cone if you want to get all Pinterest-y!) These dipped pretzels from Creatively Christy are easy to make assembly-line style, and hit that crunchy-salty-sweet snack trifecta. Get the how-to details here.

Strawberry Yogurt Cones
Want your kid to swoon over yogurt? Squeeze that ho-hum Go-Gurt tube into a waffle cone and top it with strawberries and a few candy sprinkles. (Go ahead and make one for yourself, too.) Get the recipe.

Fruity Cupid Kebabs
Let’s face it: Food is just more fun when it’s on a stick. So borrow this easy idea from Allergy Smallergy and slice fruit (melon works best) into flat pieces and let your kids cut them into heart shapes with cookie cutters; then help them thread the pieces onto bamboo skewers. Get the how-to details here.

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.

Keep your family’s bellies warm this winter with this Mini-Vegetable Lasagna recipe from Cricket Azima and our friends at iVillage! What makes this recipe so fantastic is that it makes several tasty mini-lasagnas that can be eaten the day of, or can be wrapped up and stored in the freezer for a busy day with no time to cook. AND what makes the recipe even more versatile is that you can switch up the veggies to include your family’s favorite veggies or have the kids pick out the veggies they want to add to make it more appealing. If that doesn’t attract them then involve the whole family a great winter indoor activity, making the lasagnas together! Have mom and dad cook the veggies and have the kids use their creative layering skills to make their own mini-lasagna. 

Ingredients 

1 small eggplant

2 medium zucchini

2 medium yellow squash

Olive oil

1 pound mushrooms (or buy pre-sliced to save a few minutes)

Salt to taste, plus 1/2 teaspoon salt for ricotta mixture

Two (15- ounce) containers ricotta cheese

Two (10- ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained

2/3 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish

2 large eggs, beaten

1 pound shredded mozzarella

1 pound lasagna noodles, oven-ready style (for ease) or traditional noodles, cooked and drained

Two (24- ounce) jars pasta sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set aside 5 3×5-inch pans and 2 8×4-inch pans.

2. Slice the eggplant into 1/8-inch pieces and lay on paper towels. Sprinkle salt over them to help draw water out.

3. Slice the zucchini and squash and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle lightly with oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

4. If needed, slice the mushrooms and set aside.

5. Place eggplant pieces on another cookie sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.

6. Place both cookie sheets in the oven and set timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the zucchini and squash from the sheet and put into a bowl, draining any liquid.

7. Use the same cookie sheet for the mushrooms. Spread the mushroom slices on the sheet, lightly drizzle the oil and add salt to taste before putting back into oven. Flip the eggplant and put back into oven. Set timer for an additional 15 minutes. Once finished, remove both sheets from oven, draining any liquid, and place each vegetable into a separate bowl.

8. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

9. Place the shredded mozzarella and the pasta sauce each into separate bowls.

10. Call in the kids and have a layering party. Layer the ingredients into each lasagna pan, starting with a thin layer of pasta sauce. Add a layer of noodles. Spread 1/4 cup ricotta mixture into the small pans and 1/2 cup into the large pans. Add a layer of vegetables (eggplant and mushrooms, for example). Sprinkle a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Next, spread another layer of sauce, then add another layer of noodles, spread a thin layer of ricotta, vegetable and mozzarella. Add the final layer of noodles, spread some pasta sauce and more mozzarella cheese, and lastly sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

11. Cover the lasagnas with foil. If desired, place some of the pans in the freezer for another night (simply defrost the lasagnas by placing them in the refrigerator in the morning and then cook that night for dinner).

12. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, then remove foil and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned on top. Let the lasagna set for 5 minutes before serving.

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.