Cooling summer treats

Well yesterday I was talking about eating healthy snacks that keep you cool on a hot day.  Here are some of the regular snacks I like to make.  Hopefully there will be something here you haven't tried before that sounds good to you.  Most of these items contain fruits and veggies, so maybe one of these recipes will be a way to get a picky eater to eat healthier.

Waters
First things first, we all need water to live so why not mix it up and make water fun?  Sometimes just changing the ice can make it fun.  Used crushed ice and make it a water slushy.  You can also basically add any fruit or veggie to water to give it a flavor.  Let your kids pick what flavors they want to mix up and make.  Here are some of the foods to consider using: mint, watermelon, cucumber, strawberry, lemon, lime, blueberries and blackberries. 

Frozen fruit
This is so simple, but making fruit just a few degrees colder than just your fridge can make it yummy.  This works great for teething babies too, because not only does it soothe gums, but also gives them a serving of fruit.  My brother loved frozen grapes when he was little, but play around and try different fruits, they can make a yummy, healthy treat for those that are already sick of normal fruit.  You can freeze the fruit yourself either for the day or by the season, or you can buy frozen fruit at almost any supermarket. 

You can also throw the frozen fruit in a blender, add juice, yogurt and/or ice and blend it together making a smoothie.  Kids love cooling drinks and they are packed with vitamins.  They taste so good your kids usually don't even know they are eating something that's also good for them.  You can also slip in a veggie or two to the mix to add a little fiber and pack it full of even more vitamins. 

Popsicles
Take any kind of fruit or juice you want.  If it's fruit you're going to have to turn it into a juice first.  Then pour into a cup or Popsicle maker and put a stick in the cup.  Freeze the mixture and you have a Popsicle that has only ingredients you can pronounce.  You get to know exactly what your kids are eating and your kids get to eat dessert.  I used to love making these with the neighbor kids growing up.  You can also use an ice cream maker and make sorbet for a more mature dessert.  This way you can serve it to guests without having to peel off a cup first.  There is nothing I love to eat more than my home made strawberry sorbet in the summer. 

Fruit shapes
Using a cookie cutter, slice out shapes from a slice of melon.  Sometimes all it takes is putting fruit into a different shape to get kids to eat it.  Stars can be served for adults and kids alike.  You can even put them on a stick to make a "fancy" edible centerpiece at your summer bbq.  Honestly you can use any cookie cutter you want to make fun shapes.  Let your kids pick the shape, or even better let them cut the watermelon for you! 

My Favorite Kitchen Tools

Today I feel like sharing a few of my favorite tools that I use in the kitchen.  All of these things I use at least once a week if not daily.  Most of these products can be found in any store but if you are having a hard time finding one of these products please feel free to post a comment or question and I will make sure you can find one of your own. 

The Misto
By pumping the lid it pressurizes the oil inside and sprays a mist of the oil onto your pans.  I like to fill my misto with olive oil, but I know people that have several Mistos filled with different oils for all of their cooking needs.  This way I can add a thin layer of oil to coat my pans instead of just dumping a tablespoon or so into the pan.  Pam is great, but it has chemicals and some pot and pan manufacturers recommend that you don't use Pam on their products.  This way you can make your own non-stick coating and know exactly what ingredients you are using. 

I also use my Misto with extra virgin olive oil when I'm making potatoes.  This way I get a light even coating over all my potatoes and they brown better in the oven. 

The Pot Scraper
Pot Scrapers can be made from bamboo to nylon and anything in between, but they all have this basic shape.  This little two dollar piece of nylon has changed my life! (not exaggerating I swear) Whenever I have something stuck to pot, counter top or anywhere else I pull out the scraper and use it to clean the spot.  If it's extra tough I might use a little vinegar too.  Using steel wool or another scraper on some surfaces may cause scratches but since this tool is made of nylon so it never leaves a mark, it just removes the dried on food.  Never again do you have to soak a dish for hours before you can load it in the dishwasher or worse have to soak a dish before you re-wash something that comes out of the dishwasher with food dried onto it.  When the scraper gets dirty just throw it in the dishwasher or rinse it quickly in the sink. 

Rice Cooker
This may seem like it just takes up space but my husband and I are a family that eats rice at least once a week and this little tool is amazing.  We spent a few extra dollars and bought one that has the ability to delay the start time several hours, has a rack to steam veggies and can also cook brown rice.  It's so handy to be able to just set the rice to cook and work on the other parts of dinner, or when combined with the slower cooker I can time my dinner to be ready from 8 hours when I put it together.  Having a rice cooker means there isn't instant rice in this house, we only use real rice because it's so easy and quick to make.  The taste makes all the difference you can have Chinese restaurant style rice without having any skill. 

Slower Cooker
A busy Mom/Wife's best friend.  I make everything from tacos to meatballs in my slow cooker.  It gives you the ability to put together a great meal, go to work or run errands and then come home to a home cooked meal without having to do any work.  For most of my slow cooker meals all I have to do is chopping prep. work and throw in the seasonings I want to use, after that the slow cooker does all of the work, once in a while I'll stir.  If you have really long days you might want to consider buying a cooker that has a delay start timer, otherwise any slow cooker is awesome.