How We Halloween!

With very little ones over here, Halloween isn't yet the big exciting holiday that it will become in their minds. And we know it's only going to get harder. But here are a few steps we're taking to try to set some healthy habits now! 

1. Healthy all week! 

We've bookmarked every listicle and Pinterest board of healthy Halloween treats. Banana ghosts, witch's fingers, apple mouths, and creepy mummy fingers! Each day of the week leading up to Halloween we've put special healthy halloween snacks and treats in their lunches and even dinners to get them excited about the holiday in smaller doses. 

2. Dinner Dinner Dinner! 

Insisting on a very special Halloween dinner before they go out is a MUST. We make sure they're well fed with healthy and filling Halloween goodies BEFORE they leave the house. We do veggie pizza slices (our own Peas of Pie is perfect for this) and plenty of protein to keep them full all evening. It may not be a sit down affair, given the chaos of putting finishing touches on costumes and finding a pillowcase that can get smeared with chocolate, so we make sure to serve a couple easy items they can eat with one hand while we rush around if need be! That way they're not starving and eating candy as dinner! 

3. Running Just as Fast as We Can! 

In order to burn off some of that sugar energy, every time they eat a piece of candy while we're out trick-or-treating, we run as fast as we can to the next house or down the block! When we lived in apartment building, there was no elevator rule so we would run up to the next floor. This helped keep the blood sugar levels more stable and ensure that they'll sleep when we get home. 

4. Sort and Switch

When the kiddos get home, we let them have their little candy feast for a while. Usually this is less eating and more sorting their haul gleefully on the floor. While they're young enough, we take the candy and ration it out for them - one piece in their lunches for a couple of days, and then here and there during the week. But we're really considering some other options we've found, like the Switch Witch idea of encouraging them to trade their candy in for a toy. There is also a local dentist that is offering cash for candy! 

We want to know - how do you keep halloween healthy?! What traditions and tactics are instituting to develop good holiday habits? 

Ingredient of the Month - Red Kuri Squash!

More than a decorative gourd!

We're all familiar with the typical squash varieties showing up at our farmers markets and grocery stores this time of year. Acorn, butternut, pumpkin, delicata, etc. are each delicious and have their own merits. But we'd like to expand our squash repertoire to include a lesser known but equally deserving variety - the red kuri! The red kuri squash looks like ridge-less and redder-colored pumpkin. 

Also known as the orange hokkaido in Japan or the potimarron in France, this squash is most remarkable for it's flavor. The bright orange flesh is sweet and tender with an incredible nutty flavor unique to the red kuri. Both the French and Japanese names for this squash use the word for chestnuts - kuri in Japanese and marron in French - to name it. 

When purchased from a trusted farmer or with the organic label, the skin is edible as well, making it an easy squash to prepare at home. Simply open it up, scoop out the seeds and usual bits, and cut into any shape that works! No need to peel! 

There are a million ways to eat squash, and your family probably has a favorite recipe, but we love it roasted simply with olive oil and plenty of black pepper, or cooked down and pureed into a delightfully rich tasting soup. When cubed up and roasted, red kuri squash is easily tossed into a warm kale salad with toasted farro and a bit of parmesan, or into a savory morning oatmeal with a poached egg. 

However you like to eat it, it's undeniably good for you! Loaded with beta-carotene, fiber, and low in calories, it's also a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C!  

October ReciPEA: Rice Bites!

Veggie Rice Bites

This month we’re bringing you delicious baked veggie-infused rice balls! Between packing lunches and planning dinner, this Fall has been kicking our behinds a little bit. We knew we needed a kid-friendly recipe that we could make ahead of time, and then pack for lunches, snacks at the park, or heat up for a quick dinner. What we love about this one, is that these baked rice balls are so finger-friendly, and are loaded with veggies, whole grains, AND protein! Practically a complete meal!

Ingredients:

½ cup short grain brown rice

1 tsp salt

½ cup butternut squash puree

¼ cup grated parmesan

1/2 egg, beaten

½ cup grated  steamed cauliflower (or other vegetable)

optional 1 cup panko

optional protein (such as shredded chicken)

Process:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pulse the uncooked rice in a food processor or blender in short bursts until the grains are broken up and roughly half of their original size. Then add the broken rice to a small pot with 1 1/3 cups of water. Bring everything to a boil, add the salt, then turn heat down to low, cover, and cook 15 minutes. While the rice cooks, gather your other ingredients together.

Once the rice is done, transfer it to a mixing bowl and add the cauliflower (or other grated vegetable), the butternut squash puree, the parmesan cheese, any protein you choose, and the egg. Put the entire mixture into the freezer for 10 minutes. Now that it’s chilled, roll the rice into 12-15 small balls and place on a oiled baking sheet. Work quickly, and place the balls back in the freezer for a few minutes to chill again.

Meanwhile, if you decide to use the panko, pour the flakes into a shallow bowl and roll each ball in the panko before the final chilling. Once the balls are chilled, put the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove, let cool, and enjoy!

Hot and Cold Lunches!

We all face different temperature issues when packing lunches for our kiddos. Sometimes it's how to keep everything cool, other times we try to find ways for them to eat a hot, home-cooked lunch.

Hot lunches are a great way to avoid sandwich fatigue and repurpose leftovers so we aren't always making something new. Some schools, especially for the younger tots, will heat up packed lunches for them. But as our kids have gotten older, it's a bit more of a free-for-all! Our best solution so far has been using a thermos, but here are a couple of our lunch packing tips!

For keeping cold:

Freeze your bread! Freezing the sliced bread for sandwiches keeps it fresher longer, and also ensures that the sandwich filling (like chicken or egg salad) stays cooler longer. The bread will be perfectly defrosted by lunch time!

Freeze yogurt! Yogurt can last longer than you think without strong refrigeration because it's bacteria cultures fight off anything hazardous, but freezing a yogurt is an easy way to add an "ice pack" without taking up a lot of extra space in a lunch.

Freeze a water bottle! Even a small water bottle or juice pack will keep lunches nice and cool in a backpack until lunch time.

Freeze the thermos! In the morning while you're packing a lunch and mainlining coffee, fill the thermos with ice water and let it sit in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour out the ice water, put in your cold items, and be amazed at how long they stay chilly! This is perfect for packing a smoothie or milkshake for their lunches!

For keeping warm: 

Boil the (wide mouthed) thermos! Simply boil a small pot of water and pour it directly into the empty thermos, screw on the lid, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove the water and put in your favorite hot lunch! We love everything from an omelet, to chili, to meatball or mac n cheese. Even potstickers or shepherds' pie make great options!

Separate! Put napkins with utensils, a pack of crackers, or a banana in between the hot thermos and any sort of cold food you might be packing.

What are your lunchbox hacks? And how in the world do you get your kids to bring home the ice packs and all the containers?! :)