Hawaiian-Style Mac Salad

The plate lunch is a staple in Hawaiian food.  It consists of a protein element (chicken katsu, mahi mahi, breaded teriyaki beef, shoyu chicken, and the like), 2 scoops of rice, and mac salad.  This is not like the macaroni salad you probably make for your summer BBQ.  It has a unique flavor all its own.  It may not be a health food, but I feel it is important to expose my children to food from various parts of the world.  

One of the secrets to make this dish is overcooking the noodles.  Sounds crazy, right?  But that is how they get that Hawaiian texture.  It isn't soggy, but it is not al dente.  It is quintessential Hawaiian mac salad!  It is a huge hit with the entire family and makes our plate lunches a true taste of the islands.

Ingredients

8 oz macaroni
1 C whole milk
1 C mayo
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 C cider vinegar
3 scallions, very thinly sliced
1 large carrot, finely grated
1 celery rib, chopped very fine

Directions

1. Make dressing: whisk together 3/4 C milk, 1/2 C mayo, sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  
2. Cook pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil and add pasta.  Cook for 15 minutes until very soft.  Drain pasta and return it to the pot.  Add vinegar and stir until absorbed.  Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.  Add dressing and stir to coat.  Allow to cool completely.
3. Assemble the salad: Add scallions, celery, carrot, remaining milk and remaining mayo.  Stir to combine.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  

Adapted from rickleadem

Food Fun: Pumpkin Harvest Bites

Here is a super fun snack idea for fall!  It is so simple.  Just begin by slicing a carrot into about 1/2 inch rounds.  Then take a toothpick and pierce any green herb you might have.  We used parsley but chives would also be cute - whatever you have on hand!  Finally, pierce the side of a carrot.  Place all the "pumpkin carrots" on a bed of hummus!  What a delicious, healthy, and fun snack for kids of all ages!

Sauteed Zucchini and Mushroom Finger Foods

It is so much fun when your little one can be more independent during meal times.  They are learning to do things on their own and it is a joy to witness.  But it can be a true task to keep fresh, healthy foods at the ready when they seem to be eating non-stop!  It is no wonder there are so many pre-packaged snacks, crackers, puffs, fruit squeeze-things on the store shelves.  Even I find myself pacing those aisles thinking about how much they could make my life easier...that is until I realize I want to give her the freshest and purest start possible.  Sigh, back to the kitchen.

This week, I was looking in my fridge to find some finger foods for my youngest and I saw that I had a zucchini left over from the farm last week and some mushrooms.  With that, I decided to cut them into chunks and sauté them into the perfect finger food!  It took about 20 minutes total, and now I have a fresh and healthy snack at the ready (for a couple of days at least).  

Mushrooms and zucchini are a great sources of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, and potassium.  

Ingredients

1/2 a large zucchini
4 oz white mushrooms
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp oregano

Directions

1. Chop the vegetables slightly larger than your child can handle eating.  They will shrink when cooked and can be cut down further after cooking.  
2. Heat the oil in a medium fry pan over medium heat.  
3. Add the vegetables and herbs into the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender (about 15 minutes).  Allow to cool completely before serving to your toddler.  

Weekly Menu

I don't know about you, but I am so done with summer!  We have had a crazy heat wave for too long now.  I do not like 90+ degree weather!  I am ready for cooler temps, clouds, and nice cool breezes.  But even with the heat, you know I still made it to the farms!!  :)  We picked up some gorgeous red-leaf lettuce, basil, carrots, green beans, sweet Maui onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green tomatoes, red tomatoes, and a funny little green and purple tomato.  I have no idea what that little guy is, but I thought I would try it.  If you know what that little tomato is on the bottom left corner, let me know!  :)  With this selection, I will be making the following meals this week:

• Pesto, Tomato, Goat Cheese and Arugula Pizza with Italian-Style Green Beans
• using the basil, red tomatoes, green beans, and sweet Maui onion

• Plate Lunch - Chicken Katsu with Hawaiian Style Mac Salad and rice
• using the carrots

• 4 Cheese Ravioli in Tomato Basil Cream Sauce with Caprese Salad
• using the basil and red tomatoes

• Sauteed Mushroom and Zucchini Finger Foods
• using some remaining zucchini from last week

• Fried Green Tomatoes with Ranch Dip
• using the green tomatoes

• For lunches, I will be enjoying some cheese sandwiches with cucumber tomato salad
• using the sweet Maui onion, red leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber

Homemade Crunchwrap for Daiya's Vegan Challenge!

Daiya Foods has given us a cooking challenge.  Daiya was kind enough to allow us to try their product and come up with a great recipe using one of their dairy-free cheeses!  I jumped at the chance to try something new.

I decided to make a Vegan Crunchwrap and it was AMAZING!  It was so easy to make, and by chopping everything ahead of time, dinner took less than 10 minutes to make!  We even enjoyed it again for lunch the next day because my 3 year old said it was her new favorite meal.  We made it completely vegan and it was amazing!  But the best part is that you can customize it to your own tastes.

Ingredients

Burrito Grande flour tortillas

flat crispy tostada crisps

refried beans

hot sauce (I used Tapatillo)

dairy free sour cream

tomatoes, seeded and chopped

onion, chopped

Daiya pepperjack style shreds

lettuce, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a dry non-stick fry pan over medium high heat while you assemble the crunchwrap.
2. Lay the tortilla flat and spread a layer of beans in the middle the diameter of the tostada crisp.  Add hot sauce.
3. Place the tortilla crisp on top of the beans.  Layer the dairy-free sour cream on the tostada crisp.  Top with the tomatoes, onion, Daiya shreds, and lettuce.
4. Carefully begin making several folds into the flour tortilla in order to completely wrap the contents.  If needed, take a piece of scrap tortilla and place it in the center to close any gap.  Quickly place it topside down onto the fry pan.  Allow to cook until it is golden and remains sealed.  Flip and cook the other side until golden.  

Tomato, Zucchini, Basil, and Goat Cheese Frittata

This frittata is jam-packed with seasonal, fresh veggies!  It would make a delicious breakfast for anyone, but I actually make it for my 1 year old.  Frittatas are a great option for finger foods.  They are quick to prepare, can be cut into pieces, and can be stored for up to three days in the fridge so it is ready when you need it.  

Frittata's were a staple for my oldest when she was eating finger foods and now my youngest is able to enjoy them too.  You can customize them with any veggies and cheese you have on hand, but I always use seasonal produce.  Only the freshest for my baby!  :)  I hope you try this recipe out for your kids or even yourself.  It is delicious!

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 Tbsp milk
1-2 Tbsp basil, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 C onion, diced
1/4 C zucchini, diced
1/4 C tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 C goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with the milk, basil, salt, and pepper. 
3. Heat the butter in a small oven-safe skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the zucchini and tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the eggs.  Sprinkle the goat cheese on top.
6. Place in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the egg is set and the edges start to pull away from the pan.  
7. Allow to cool.  Flip the frittata out on to a cutting board and cut into pieces appropriate for your child's eating ability.  Can be stored in an air tight container for up to three days in the refrigerator.  

Red Robin's Poppyseed Dressing

***WARNING - THIS DRESSING IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!***

So, I don't think I have a lot of vices, but this dressing might be one of them.  I could seriously drink the stuff!  I know that sounds gross, but it is so good!  It is the reason I would go to Red Robin.  I would literally have cravings for this dressing.  It is a core ingredient in the Crispy Chicken Tender Salad, but I also use it for veggies, french fries, anything you would pair with any dressing.  Now that I can make it at home, I can enjoy it with organic produce and feel a little less guilty.  It is not a health food, but it is worth the extra calories.  Everything in moderation, right?  :)

Ingredients (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

1 C mayo
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days (not that it has EVER lasted that long in my fridge!).

Adapted from the actual Red Robin training manual