In our ongoing quest to be food adventurers we decided to try Longans.  They are a cousin to the more popular Lychee. Their light brown skin encloses a delicious translucent, juicy soft flesh that is similar to a peeled grape.  They have a large black inedible seed in the middle so you just eat the flesh around the seed.  It has a very nice sweet taste that we all enjoyed!

If you’re going to give these a try, buy longans that are still attached to the branches if possible. The fruit should be plump and having a slightly pliable shell. You can store longans in a breathable container or bag in the fridge for around 5-7 days.

Happy Healthy Eating
Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!

With the holiday season fast approaching we know that there will be plenty of sweet treats and homemade baking around! That means it’s the perfect time to try to balance all those goodies out with some delicious and fun healthy treats!  These lovable little ladybugs make a great treat and they’re pretty darn cute

What you need: Adapted from Batter Up Kids: Delicious Desserts Makes 12 ladybugs

12 seedless Green or Red Grapes

12 (6- to 8-inch) wooden skewers or  toothpicks

12 whole strawberries

24 mini chocolate chips or dried black currents

Directions:

Step 1.  Wash your grapes and strawberries

Step 2.  Cut the ends off of the strawberries and cut the grapes in half

Step 3.  Slice off the bottom of the strawberries (this will help them to sit flat on the plate)

Step 4.  Place a grape on a toothpick or wooden skewer, sliding it all the way to the end

Step 5.  Next place the strawberry on the skewer, cut end first, and slide it down to touch the grape

Step 6.  Gently score the top of the strawberry to create the appearance of wings

Step 7.  Finally, carefully push the pointed ends of the chocolate chips (or dried currants) into the strawberry to make the ladybug’s spots.

Happy Healthy Eating
Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!

Bill sets out healthy foods on display to begin making butterfly food art

The end result: Beautiful and nutritious butterfly snacks!

I had the chance to chat up Bill and Claire Wurtzel on the phone recently and discovered a whole new world of happy as we discussed how to add healthy food choices to your child’s classroom menu, how to make fun food art, and the great love story of Bill and Claire!  All you need:

• Imagination
• An array of healthy foods set out on display
• A willingness to teach and do
• An Open-Heart and Mind

The Love Story:

It turns out, love can be duplicated at breakfast!

Congratulations to Bill and Claire for celebrating their recent 5oth anniversary!  They are a warm and kind couple with a good cause that they want to share with the world.  Funny Food originated in the kitchen at their home in Manhattan, N.Y.C.  On Sunday mornings, Bill would make breakfast for Claire then create art couture from toast, fruits, eggs, and nuts all in hopes of getting a good laugh out of his wife.  About five years ago Claire prompted Bill to take pictures and the New York Times published them on March 2nd, 2011.  From love story to food story, Bill and Claire now have an up-coming Funny Food Book which will become available April 2012.

Healthy Food Workshops:

School Workshops 10-4

Bill and Claire have a message that they hope reach First Lady Michelle Obama in their quest for combating childhood diabetes and obesity as as getting children to eat a well-balanced breakfast.  Together they have visited New York City schools that have high rates of childhood obesity promoting interactive, hands on learning for kids.  They hold workshops in which they display nutritious breakfast from the different foods groups.  Claire, an educator, speaks up about nutrition while Bill models breakfast in his quirky, funny food way.  I was so inspired by my talk with them that I hope to transpire their ideas to Pinellas County Schools in Florida.  Want to make a difference?  Download copies and print copies to pass out at your next PTA meeting.

Bill Wurtzel's Anthroplum created for Green Halloween!

Let kids get creative by setting out a tray of pre-cut nutritious food shapes for art creation!

Take a pita and crack a smile! Who says you can't play with your food?

Take a pita, crack a smile, throw some eggs on top of her head for a funny hairstyle!

Take eggs and yolk and a lot of imagination to make a peggquin scene!

Make sure your toast is gluten-free or whole-wheat for a healthy alternative

Bill’s Background:

Bill Wurtzel is a renowned guitarist and art director.  He improvises breakfast like a jazz solo!  Check out his musical abilities at Bill Wurtzel.

Bill places his love of jazz in this musically inclined Bosc Player!

Panjo

Granddaughter Daniela:

The proud grandparents mentioned their little granddaughter Daniela a few times and since she lives right next door, its the perfect time for Bebop to make her breakfast too!  She gets in on the breakfast action by creating her own works of art.  Check it out and then prep your counter for foodie fun with your own kids!

Bebop Bill made this for Granddaughter Daniela for a healthy dessert

4 year old Granddaughter Daniela Weis making her own art!

4 year old Daniela's fruity doll art!

Yummy, healthy food art kids just love to design

You do the cutting, let your kids create the art!

Daniela made this scary face for Green Halloween! Good job!

This Cantaloupe Skeleton was made especially for Green Halloween by Bill!

Look for Bill Wurtzel as we feature him in up-coming posts on Green Halloween!

Blogger Laurali Star can be found on her blog, Charming Laurali Star, and on her site, The Damsel in the Attic, where she sells handmade and vintage clothing and accessories.  Another fab way to help reduce, reuse, and recycle!  Check it out!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

Whenever we go grocery shopping my daughter is always drawn to anything that is her favorite color…PURPLE!!!  So it didn’t surprise me when she squealed with delight at these gorgeous purple peppers and asked if she could get it.  It is such a vibrant color and was the perfect topping to add to our homemade pizzas!  We also spent the rest of our shopping trip doing our best to recite the Peter Piper Picked A Peck of Purple Peppers tongue twister

Colorful peppers are generally more expensive than green ones because they have been left longer on the vine to ripen and gain their color.  This also results in less yield per plant so it’s more costly for farmers.  But we always think it’s worth the wait and the extra money to enjoy colorful peppers like this beautiful purple one!

Happy Healthy Eating
Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!

This week I wanted to blog on the importance of getting kids in the kitchen at an early age!  Even toddlers can “help” out in the kitchen!!  They can help by doing easy things like washing fruits and veggies, tearing up lettuce, helping to stir ingredients etc… There are so many ways to involve little ones in the kitchen.  I know that sometimes having their “help” actually makes things slower and messier but it really is worthwhile on the days where you have the time.  Getting kids involved with their food helps them to build trust and interest in the food that they eat.  Studies have shown that children are more likely to try new foods if they have helped prepare it.

Spending time together in the kitchen gives you a wonderful opportunity to chat about food, the importance of eating healthy food, and will provide you with fond memories of your time together!  By teaching your children cooking skills and passing down secret family recipes you are providing them with gifts that will last a lifetime!!  They might soon forget the latest toy you bought them, but it’s likely they will remember spending time whipping up creations with you in the kitchen

So set aside some time and find ways to get your little ones in the kitchen with you!!! Try to take some pictures too…it’s always nice to be able to look back on those special times together!  I can’t believe my little helper Hannah was only 2 yrs old in this picture…she’s now almost 8…time flies when you’re having fun in the kitchen

Happy Healthy Eating
Kia

Kia Robertson is a mom and the creator of the Today I Ate A Rainbow kit; a tool that helps parents establish healthy habits by setting the goal of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. Kia is passionate about creating tools that help parents raise healthy kids!