Cooking with your kids - some recipes!

Time spent cooking with your children can be fun and rewarding. Cooking is a life skill that will reap rewards for years to come. Involving your children in the kitchen can lure picky eaters to try things they might not have considered otherwise, and give them a feeling of control and sense of accomplishment!

Here are two recipes that are both healthy and easy enough to invite your kiddos to help prepare.

Granola based trail mix (invite kids to help measure, mix, and stir in the "extras")
8cups rolled oats (toasted in oven about 20 minutes @350)
¼ cup canola oil
¾ cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix oil, honey and vanilla together. Pour honey mixture over toasted oats and stir well to coat oats. Return to oven another 10 minutes. After the honey oat mixture has cooled, add whatever additional ingredients you enjoy. Suggestions include toasted wheat germ, nuts, raisins/Craisins, sesame sticks, soy nuts, dried chopped fruit, mini M&Ms, and cereal such as Cheerios, Chex, or Kix. I store my trail mix in a giant food storage bag, taking out single serving portions as needed.

Cheesecake fruit dip (older children can use the mixer, most can help measure and fold in the whipped topping)
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 cup of whipped topping
¼ cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Cream together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Fold in whipped topping and chill. This dip tastes a lot like cheesecake, but has a dip-able consistency. It’s great for children who need a little something extra to eat their fruit at snack time.