Taste Archives - Page 5 of 5

Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies

February 5, 2014/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

February has arrived and with it the sent of roses, little candy hearts, and the strange feeling that you are being watched by a diaper-clad flying bald man with arrows. Valentine’s Day often gets a bad rap, having the connotation of being a purely romantic holiday. Lovers forcibly exchanging chocolates and pink teddy bears come to mind. This year, reinvent the February 14th cliché and celebrate the love you have with your family by doing something fun together. Try out my recipe for V-Day heart cookies with your kids, and if you’re in an especially loving mood, give some away with the valentines you send to friends!

Ingredients:
(makes 48 cookies)

1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup maple syrup
2 cups All-Purpose flour
¼ tsp Kosher salt
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sprinkles in various colors (optional)

Finding a Solution for a Healthy Resolution

January 6, 2014/in Celebrate, Guide, Taste/by Shine

Happy New Year! We all want to start the year off on the right foot and many of us do so by changing some of our holiday eating habits. But what about children? How do we tackle the not-so-easy job of getting our children to eat healthier? Here Katie Letts, chef and shine nutrition specialist, provides some tips to 5 major issues parents face. May 2014 be happy, healthy and delicious for your whole family.

Continue to shine your light –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

The holiday goodies have been consumed, the champagne has been toasted, and the start of a new year means one thing above all else: New Year’s resolutions! Making it a priority to improve the eating habits and overall health of your little one is an honorable goal, albeit a challenging one. Let’s face it; most small mouths come with an assortment of not-so-small obstacles. Every-day issues, from picky eaters to the lack of time to cook can make preparing nutritious family meals and snacks a battle!

Recently, I asked several moms and dads to share the greatest challenges they’ve faced with providing a well-balanced diet for their children. Some of them provided me with their solutions for said challenges, as well. Not so surprisingly, many of the food issues were quite common among most of the families! The parents who generously contributed their thoughts range from professional chefs to folks who would much rather “take-out” than tournée… After all, children will eat like children (even if their parent heads a TV network kitchen). If you would like to resolve to keep your family happy and healthy, feel free to use these tips, as needed… Let’s put the solution back into “resolution!” Read more

Peppermint Bark Recipe

December 18, 2013/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

I love the holidays. Aside from the parties, the baked goods, and all the sparkle, they also provide plenty of opportunities for togetherness. And even though Thanksgiving was late and Hanukkah early, I’m still in the midst of decorating, wrapping, baking, ornamenting, lighting, singing, and taking in the infectious holiday buzz here in NYC. One of my favorite ways to bond with students, friends and family during the season is to bake and cook together. Here, Chef and Shine Nutrition Specialist Katie Letts, shares her very easy (and very delicious) recipe for peppermint bark. Whatever you bake or do for the holidays, make sure to do it with some people you love. The memories will last a lot longer than the treats! Have a sparkling holiday and New Year!

May your holidays shine bright –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Deck the halls with sweets and candy! Christmas cookies are often considered the norm to make during the holiday season, especially with your little ones. This peppermint bark recipe, however, is a simple alternative to the typical cookie tradition. Make sure to leave some for Santa on Christmas Eve, too!

Ingredients:

24 oz white chocolate chips
1 tsp peppermint extract
2 cups crushed candy canes

Fresh Cinnamon Cranberry Applesauce

November 27, 2013/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

Thanksgiving just might be my favorite holiday of the year. I think it’s the combination of food and togetherness that I love so much. What better way to mix the two than cooking with your kids. Here, Katie Letts, chef and Shine nutrition specialist, shares her original recipe for Fresh Cinnamon and Cranberry Applesauce. It’s simple to make, delicious to eat and will give your son or daughter a feeling of pride when they see it on the Thanksgiving table. Whatever you cook, make sure to do part of it together. Everything tastes better when it’s made with love.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Shine!
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

Fresh Cinnamon Cranberry Applesauce Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and although many folks consider a turkey the holiday’s piece de resistance, I adore the variety of side dishes that truly make the meal. It can be hard to prepare Thanksgiving sides that appeal to children as well as adults, but my cinnamon cranberry applesauce is sure to please even the pickiest of young pallets at your family gathering!

Ingredients:
(Makes 8 servings)

12 medium apples, peeled, cored and quartered (I prefer Macintosh!)
1 ½ cups water
¼ – ½ cup fresh cranberries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp grade A maple syrup

Candy Corn Cups

October 30, 2013/in Celebrate, Fun, Taste/by Shine

Halloween is tomorrow but many of you may not know that today is National Candy Corn Day. Opinions are split about the merit of these seasonal treats but we at Shine have a soft spot them. It may be the childhood memories they evoke or our need for a quick sugar boost as the days get shorter and colder, but whatever the reason, you can always find some lying around our offices in late October. Here is Shine’s recipe for Candy Corn Cups. Sweet, decadent, and over-the top, they stray from our normal health-minded recipes – but Halloween and National Candy Corn Day only come once a year. Live it up!

Continue to shine your Halloween light –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

As the sun sets earlier in the October sky, there’s a slight chill in the air that can mean only one thing… It’s almost Halloween! There’s no better way to celebrate the ghoulish holiday than with candy corn, one of the most classic of Halloween candies. This candy corn-themed recipe is not for the faint of heart, as it is quite the tricky treat to make, but I guarantee these candy corn cups will be a scream at any family Halloween party!

Ingredients:

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 qt white buttercream icing
Orange and yellow food coloring
24 candy corn pieces

Special Supplies: Read more

Quick and Healthy Afterschool Snacks

September 25, 2013/in Guide, Taste/by Shine

Back to school usually means less time for everyone. Whether you’re rushing out the door in the morning or running to after-school activities in the afternoon, time is a commodity and preparing meals and snacks can sometimes feel like a chore. The quickest and easiest snack isn’t always the healthiest. At Shine, we prefer to give children whole foods as opposed to anything in a bag or out of a box. Penny Tylor, a RN and BSN, shares some of her favorite quick and healthy snacks. For more ideas, our cooking classes not only teaches children about making healthy eating choices but also provides families with easy, delicious and fun recipes. To set up a mobile cooking class, contact us at info@shinenyc.net.

Continue to shine your light –
Aaron Goldschmidt, founder & director

School is out for the day. Less than one second after your kids walk through the door you hear it: “I’m hungry!” Sure, it might be easy to quickly hand them some graham crackers, cereal, or a few slices of cheese, but why not try some snacks that are creative and fun?

One of my favorite afterschool snacks begins with a brown rice cake. Then you spread some natural no sugar added peanut butter (you can substitute sunflower seed butter if your kids are allergic to peanuts) and drizzle some agave nectar or honey on top. Decorate with dried cranberries or raisins and serve!

Banana Ice Cream with Maple Pepitas & Coconut

May 1, 2013/in Celebrate, Taste/by Shine

Can we ever really thank our mothers enough? Flowers, chocolates, jewelry? Probably not. I remember being in elementary school and telling my mom that someday I would buy her her very own Greek Island. I knew she loved Greece and was clearly already aware she deserved something big for all she did. I am still trying to get my mom that Greek Island. Perhaps just a trip to Greece together someday will do. There are much simpler ways for children to give back to their mom on Mother’s Day. At Shine, we love to paint terra-cotta pots and plant flowering herbs as gifts. Even a homemade card will make Mom feel appreciated. But one of our favorite ways to treat anyone is with something delicious to eat. It can be breakfast in bed, a meal prepared the day before with the help of dad, or something decadent right out of the oven. Cooking together promotes family bonding and the effort put in always yields a great end result… not just a happy belly, but a happy mom!

Here, chef and Shine nutritionist Katie Letts, shares a very unique recipe mom’s are sure to appreciate… tasty and healthy!

Continue to shine your light on your mom –
aaron goldschmidt, founder & director

Let’s face it; being a mom can be a thankless job. Your toddler doesn’t recognize you for changing her diaper, and your 10 year-old doesn’t express gratitude for making sure he gets his homework done and enough vegetables in his diet. Still, there is one day a year just for moms. On this day, mothers everywhere are shown complete appreciation for all they do by family, friends and strangers, alike. It is a day for moms to enjoy being pampered, fed breakfast in bed, and simply to bond with their families. This Mother’s Day, help your little ones pamper you with a delectable homemade ice cream. It’s made with frozen bananas, rather than dairy and added sugar, so feel free to indulge as much as you please!

Ingredients:
(Makes 3 cups of ice cream) Read more