Category: Kids

Articles/

How to Naturally Dye Easter Eggs with up-cycled ingredients

eggs on a tray

Easter is a special time of year known for family gatherings, egg hunts, the excitement of Easter baskets filled with goodies and of course renewed faith. But have you considered ditching the artificial colors this year for natural Easter egg dyes? It’s an excellent way to get gorgeous, sometimes subdued, sometimes vibrant colors without the chemical dyes. It’s a fantastic opportunity to involve children in a seasonal tradition of creating beautiful Easter egg colors using natural ingredients that would have otherwise been trash. Here’s my easy guide on how to do it.

Table of contents

a variety of colorful foods in boiling water to create dye

Growing up my aunt always colored Easter eggs using different things, but I will always remember a large stock pot filled with onion skins on her kitchen stovetop.   She even used panty hose to experiment with placing herbs or flowers to make unique designs on the eggs.  I always thought it was resourceful and beautiful.  

Materials Needed:

  • A selection of cooked white eggs and brown eggs
  • Natural dye materials: yellow onion skins, red onion skins, purple cabbage, beets, turmeric, paprkia, red zinger tea, raspberries, blueberries, spinach, black coffee
  • White vinegar or lemon juice
  • Water
  • Pots and sauce pan
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Disposable cups or mason jars
  • Slotted spoon

Natural Dyeing Mediums to Consider

You will be amazed with how many different foods can produce a variety of colors.

Produce items

  • Red onion skin – light pink color
  • Yellow onion skin – orange color
  • Spinach – light green color
  • Raspberries – pink color
  • Purple Cabbage – blue/purple color 
  • Red Cabbage – purple color
  • Blueberries – blue color

Spices

  • Paprika – red color
  • Turmeric – yellow color

Beverages

  • Red Zinger Tea – red color
  • Coffee – blackish brown color
  • Tart Cherry Juice – red color

Remember the Ratio

One cup of medium per one cup water.  I usually do 4 cups of water so I have plenty to color several eggs at one time.  

Step 1: Prepare Your Hard-Boiled Eggs

Before you start, make sure you have plenty of hardboiled eggs in either white or brown. If you need more info on that, check out my article on the perfect hard boiled egg. Keep in mind that brown eggs will give you more muted tones when dyed while white eggs can render bright yellow, green eggs, or even blue eggs based on the natural colors you choose. 

Step 2: Create the Natural Dyes 

Natural food dyes in jars

For a true homemade dye, select the natural ingredients you want to use. Last year I experimented with a variety of produce to get different colors including  a orange dye from yellow onion skins, purple from red cabbage dye, and green dye from spinach.  

To start, place your items in large mason jars and add enough boiling hot water to cover them. For every cup of water, add the same amount of your chosen plant material and let cool completely.  This will ensure a high concentration of natural colors in the dye pot.

For spices like turmeric, mix one tablespoon of spice with a cup of water. If you’re using coffee or tea bags, brew them as you would if you were going to drink them, but in a high concentration AKA extra strong.

Step 3: Strain and Add Vinegar

Once your dye bath reaches room temperature, use a fine mesh strainer to eliminate any large pieces and pour the fluid back into mason jar. For each cup of natural dye, mix in one tablespoons of vinegar. This step is crucial as the acidity from vinegar helps the egg shells to absorb the natural colors from your homemade dye, ensuring beautiful colors.

Step 4: Dye Your Eggs

Before immersing the eggs, wrap them in various things like silk ties, old pantyhose, or rubber bands for interesting patterns. Or use  a white wax crayon to create unique designs.  Then gently lay your hard-boiled eggs into the natural egg dyes using a slotted spoon.

If you’re using hollow eggs, the process is much the same, but you may need to fill them with a little bit of water to ensure they sink. Leave the eggs in the dye bath in the fridge for a few hours or overnight for more profound depth of color. (I prefer overnight).  The good news is you can check on them occasionally to see if they’ve reached your desired color. These natural options provide various colors, from  bright yellow to blueberry’s deep blue dye.

Step 5: Drying the Eggs

Remove the eggs from the dye and set them on paper towels or a rack to dry. Resist the temptation to wipe them down, as you could rub off the natural colors. Instead, let the natural easter egg dye work its magic as the eggs dry to a wonderful sheen.

I’d love to know how your eggs turned out! Tag me on social media to share your creations!

IG: Miss_nutritious_eats

About Me

I’m Melanie.

I’m a chef, registered dietitian, foodie, wife and mom.
If you’re looking for quick and healthy meal inspiration that supports your health goals while feeding the rest of your family (including the kiddoes) well, then you’ve come to the right place!

Melanie Marcus Selfie
Kids/

Simple Eggless Banana Muffin Recipe (with Flax)

muffins in tray

Muffins are on a weekly rotation in our house. Whether they’re store bought or homemade, we love them. Enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk, does a better, more convenient go-to breakfast or snack exist? Delicious muffins are actually quite easy to whip up, and they can easily be made without eggs – and they’re super easy to batch cook! In fact, you can even make vegan muffins quite easily with just a few substitutions.

I found this recipe online several years ago, jotted it down in my kitchen notebook and have been using it ever since!

Jump to Recipe

Table of contents

Why would I want to make eggless muffins?

Eggs are a nutrient dense food to have in your fridge, but there are times when they’re not available. More recently, they’ve become quite expensive and are about 3x’s the price they were just a year or two ago.

There are also those with egg allergies or dietary preferences such as vegan that simply choose not to eat eggs.

Making egg-free banana muffins with a flax egg is a great way to incorporate healthy plant based fat into your diet as well. My kids don’t even know the flax is in there!

My favorite Banana Muffin Recipe

I’ve tried a lot of banana muffin recipes. Many are high in fat and refined sugars, and the “better for you versions” often flop. My favorite recipe uses a combo of apple cider vinegar and flax seed that just gives them an overall comforting flavor, especially when they come right out of the oven. I also love this recipe because I can make them in a large mixing bowl and don’t have to pull out the stand mixer!

Jump to Recipe

Ingredients you need for these quick eggless banana muffins

  • ground flaxseed
  • whole wheat flour
  • all purpose flour
  • warm water
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • kosher salt
  • 1% milk
  • apple cider vinegar
  • maple syrup
  • canola or grape-seed oil, any neutral oil
  • vanilla extract
  • mashed overripe bananas
  • mini chocolate chips

Additions and Substitutions

What if I don’t have apple cider vinegar?

White vinegar or lemon juice will work well too! I would not suggest using a balsamic vinegar because that flavor is quite distinct. If you don’t have any vinegar on hand, you can also leave it out.

What can I use instead of whole wheat flour?

For this recipe, I like to use a flour mixture. It helps limit the number of different flours that I have in my pantry. You could easily use a whole wheat pastry flour or a white whole wheat flour instead. Alternatively, I have used all white flour without an issue in this recipe. When I’ve used 100% all purpose flour instead of a blend, I’ve found the muffin batter was just a bit thick and needed 1/4 cup more milk.

What can I use instead of flax seed?

Use 2 eggs and omit the water instead! No problem :). Read more about the flax egg here.

What can I use instead of maple syrup?

The natural sweetness from mashed bananas is enhanced by maple syrup but you could easily use an equal amount of agave or even honey. In an absolute pinch, you could use white sugar in this recipe, but I prefer to recommend more natural sources of sweetness.

Which oil is best to use?

Almost any oil will work here. Vegetable oil, sunflower oil even olive oil will work if you like the flavor! Melted butter is traditionally used in muffins to create a fluffy texture, but we use oil instead. Because oil is a fat that is liquid at room temperature, it’s a more heart healthy alternative. Coconut oil would work in this recipe but it would increase the saturated fat and contribute a distinct flavor.

Can I leave the chocolate chips out?

Yes, but I don’t know why you’d want to! Just kidding, there is a time and place for everything. I often make them without any add ins, and they disappear just as quickly! You can also add raisins, white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or fresh blueberries.

Can I leave out the milk?

If you don’t have milk on hand or follow a dairy free lifestyle, soy milk, oat milk or almond milk will work perfectly fine. You could also use lactose free milk, unsweetened vanilla almond milk or a light refrigerated coconut milk instead. You could also use full fat milk or even fat free milk if that is what you have on hand.

Jump to Recipe

How to make a moist eggless banana muffin

First, preheat the oven to 350F.

Next, prepare your muffin pan by lining with paper liners. If you don’t have muffin cups, spray the muffin tray with nonstick spray.

Then, combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Combine, all of the wet ingredients in another bowl. I like to use a 4 cup measurer for this.

Then add half the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients.

Once combined, add your optional mix in’s

Pour batter in to prepared muffin tin. I like to use an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup to ensure they’re all the same size.

This is a good time to add more optional mix in’s to the top of the muffins! OR, skip mixing them in and just add a few for interest on top! This is what they do at the coffee shop with caster sugar. They sprinkle it on top for extra crunch!

Slide the tray onto the center rack of the oven. Be sure it’s a preheated oven!

Set timer for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let them cool down on a wire rack and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week!

muffins cooling on tray

Eggless Banana Muffins

Healthy banana muffins made with flax and limited sugars
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsp flax seed ground
  • 4 tbsp water warm
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup white flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup 1% milk
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup banana mashed
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips or other mix ins optional

Instructions
 

  • First, preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Next, prepare your muffin pan by lining with paper liners. If you don't have muffin cups, spray the muffin tray with nonstick spray.
  • Then, combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Combine, all of the wet ingredients in another bowl. I like to use a 4 cup measurer for this.
  • Then add half the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients.
  • Once combined, add your optional mix in's.
  • Pour batter in to prepared muffin tin. I like to use an ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup measuring cup to ensure they're all the same size.
  • This is a good time to add more optional mix in's to the top of the muffins! OR, skip mixing them in and just add a few for interest on top! This is what they do at the coffee shop with caster sugar. They sprinkle it on top for extra crunch!
  • Slide the tray onto the center rack of the oven. Be sure it's a preheated oven!
  • Set timer for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let them cool down on a wire rack and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week!
Keyword muffins
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About Me

I’m Melanie.

I’m a chef, registered dietitian, foodie, wife and mom.
If you’re looking for quick and healthy meal inspiration that supports your health goals while feeding the rest of your family (including the kiddoes) well, then you’ve come to the right place!

Melanie Marcus Selfie
Articles/

23 Healthy Halloween Recipes Plus Activities that Kids will LOVE!

Healthy Halloween Snacks

Move over huge bags of sugary candy, festive fun is more important than ever!!

Can the words healthy and Halloween really belong in the same sentence? According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they should! Healthy options are now more than ever! This research found that childhood obesity rose significantly during the pandemic, especially in children 5-11 years old. Whether the weight gain was a result of food choices or children being more sedentary, the gain was about 5 pounds which equals the weight increase from the past 20 years! This perfect storm of ready to eat and junk foods, meal fatigue and lack of activity during quarantine makes the focus on healthy holiday celebrations much more important this year. 

This article has been adapted from an article originally written for Dole Food Company.

While candy is a focal point for most kids, Halloween truly has a lot more to offer children — spooky costumes, magical activities and the opportunity to incorporate festive meals throughout the day. 

Celebrating the holiday season is not about taking any of that away, it’s about enhancing the Halloween experience while pumping up the nutrition in a fun way.

Melanie Marcus MA RD

And truthfully, with a little creativity, healthy Halloween snacks are sooo simple to make and they deliver a huge payoff because you kids won’t have sugar overload, or the inevitable crash afterwards!

Read on for healthy Halloween recipes and activities to enjoy the holiday in a healthy way.

Here are 23 recipes for the whole family to enjoy – without the added sugar! 

  1. Start your day with a breakfast that any monster would enjoy! These Mike Wazowski Fruit Stack served with yogurt are balanced and super fun!! My kids LOVED them!!
  2. Lunch time can be fun too!! Turn any sandwich into a spider sandwich with this trick – Cut your favorite sandwich into a circle using a large cookie cutter. Lay pretzel sticks between layers (4 on each side) to resemble spider legs! Use olives to create spider eyes on top! 
Dole Fruit Stacks
Dole Mike Wizowski Fruit Stacks
Ghost Bananas
Dole Ghost Bananas
Witching Hour Fro Whip!
Witching Hour Fro Whip
Crazy Eyes Snacks
Dole Crazy Eyes
  1. Another lunch alternative are these super cute Chicken Stuffed Roz Heads from Monsters Inc!
  2. Jazz up dinner with Pumpkin Stuffed Peppers. Turn your favorite stuffed pepper recipe into a jack o lantern of a meal by cutting out eyes and a mouth in your bell peppers before stuffing and baking! 
  3. Try this Witchy Dip for a fun halloween snack! Turn Dole avocadoes into a spooky delight by serving homemade guacamole in a shallow oval bowl. Top half the dish with blue corn chips to form a witch’s hat. Then add shredded carrots for witch’s hair, a mini pickle for a nose, olives for eyes and red pepper for a mouth! 
  4. A creative way to serve energy bites is to turn them into Bat Energy Bites! Take your go-to energy bite recipe and add two candy eyes, plus broken blue corn tortillas for wings for a festive treat!
  5. A go-to healthy snack are banana ghosts. Simply cut your peeled banana in half. Roll in yogurt and unsweetened coconut flakes then use mini chocolate chips for eyes and enjoy!
  6. Another banana based favorite are banana mummies! Wrap your banana in fruit leather and add candy eyes for a mummerific snack!
  7. If you’re little one loves PB&J, try making Dole Crazy Eyes. Start by thinly slice a baguette into ovals and spread with peanut butter. Top with a single banana slice and blueberry and use raspberry jam to create squiggly red lines coming out of the banana.
  8. A great way to get kids to eat their greens is by making Franken-smoothies! Take any green smoothie recipe and pour into a clear plastic glass that has been decorated to look like Frankenstien. So simple and so easy!!
Healthy Halloween Snacks for Kids
Yummy Halloween Snacks for Kids!
THK Frankenstein Kiwi
THK Kiwi Frankenstein
Healthy Halloween Snacks
Clementine Pumpkins & Monster Mouthes
Dole Meanies
Dole Meanies
  1. Another simple and fun snack are strawberry ghosts! Just take white chocolate and microwave at 10 second intervals (stirring in between) until soft. Then drizzle horizontally across your strawberries, finishing off with candy eyes! You can also use any other melted chocolate or dark chocolate that you like!
  2. Party guests will love candy corn parfaits. Just take small drink cups or clear cocktail cups and layer diced papaya followed with diced fresh pineapple and topped with your favorite cool whip, whipped cream or even vanilla greek yogurt for a protein packed version! Totally festive and easy! Try them at your next school party!
  3. Make Monster Mouthes with apple slices for lips, slivered almonds and marshmallows for teeth and strawberries for tongues! Super fun!!
  4. Another easy school snack are clementine pumpkins! You can leave them whole and use a black food marker to draw pumpkin faces. Go all the way by slicing small celery sticks to insert in the top for a stem!
  5. If you love cozy pumpkin spice flavor, you have to try Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Dole Whip! It’s autumn in a bowl 🙂
  6. Or check out this Witching Hour Fro Whip inspired by everyone’s favorite Sanderson sisters!
  7. I recently saw a dietitian create witches fingers out of Moondrop grapes which I thought was so cool. The grapes are naturally the shape of fingers and when you add an almond sliver for a nail, it couldn’t be more realistic!!
  8. Little witches brooms are simple to make with mozzarella string cheese! Cut the string cheese into 3 equal sized pieces and cut slices length wise about 2/3 of the way across each piece to make the bristles of the broom. Then insert a thin pretzel rod into the cheese!
  9. How about serving hummus in the shape of a pumpkin! To make “pumpkin” hummus, just take your knife or spoon to create a pumpkin shape and then top with a celery stick or cucumber log for a stem!
  10.  Another perfect way to get kids to way their veggies are with Green Slimesicles. Popsicles made with fruit and veg to give green slime a whole new meaning.
  11. Create a Halloween veggie skeleton! This one is easy- just use your imagination to create a skeleton with fresh cut vegetables! The sky is the limit! Use
  12. Serve up your greens with these intimidating Meanies! The concept will feature your favorite salad in classic Halloween style, and they’ll add flair to your table scape too!
  13. Wash everything down with a deliciously scary mocktail! These Sparkling Ghouls are complete with cranberry blood!!! eek
Dole Sparkling Ghoules

What to stock up on to make Halloween snacks a breeze

  • Toothpicks
  • Candy Eyes
  • Chocolate in various colors
  • Parchment Paper
  • Mini chocolate Chips
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Slivered Almonds
  • Black food marker
  • Clear plastic cups
  • Straws

Make a Halloween Pineapple Jack-o-lantern!

Nothing says Halloween fun like jack o’ lanterns!! But instead of using a pumpkin, why not use a pineapple! You can eat the inside and then create a fresh fruit centerpiece that everyone will be talking about!

Pineapple Jack O Lantern
Print

Pineapple Jack O Lantern

Carve a festive centerpiece for your Halloween season!
Author: Dole Food Company

Equipment

  • 1 Pineapple 5" wide and 7" tall
  • 1 serrated knife
  • 1 spoon
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 pineapple corer optional

Instructions

  • Cut the bottom of the pineapple off using the serrated knife, then cut around the inside edge of the pineapple, keeping the walls of the pineapple about 1" thick for support.
  • Use the knife and spoon to remove the pineapple flesh, including the core, until nice and clean. Place the pineapple flesh in a bowl to eat.
  • Using the serrrated knife, carefully cut out your face!
  • Place the finished pineapple on a plate and enjoy the look and taste of your creation!
  • when it gets dark, place a lit LED candle on the plate under the pineapple Jack-O-Lantern

October is truly an exciting time of year, and if you think about it’s more like a full blown Halloween season, it’s not just one meal or afternoon of sweet treats anymore. There are neighborhood Halloween parties, festive school lunches to make, halloween class parties, annual parades, and costume contests that make for the perfect opportunity to enjoy healthy treats. There will be plenty of sweets to enjoy, but be sure to offer healthier options too!

Articles/

Cooking as a way to instill good habits in kids

get kids cooking

Little ones love to stay busy and if you’re a parent, then you know that children love to get involved with whatever YOU are doing. From dusting to washing dishes or even sharing your meal, if you’re doing it, then your toddler wants in on the action. Why not take advantage of their enthusiasm to teach a new skill and build better cooking habits for the whole family?

This article was adapted from a piece written for Dole Food Company.

Table of contents

Cooking with children is a great way to help them build confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating as they grow. Research also shows that cookin meals at home resultsin eating fewer calories, and negative nutrieints like saturated fat and sugar- even when you’re not trying to lose weight! So why not try new foods together while teaching children this essential life skill?

Melanie Marcus MA RD

Here are five tips for cooking-up healthy habits in the kitchen:

  1. Dress for the part! Pull out the aprons and get everyone in costume. If you really want to be official, check out this Dole printable chef’s hat. Children will love to personalize their own before getting busy in the kitchen! 
  2. Give them a seat at the table (literally)!  Instead of sitting little helpers on the counter, get them a step stool so they can see the counter – most importantly, what’s in that big bowl – or sit them in a booster seat at the table so they can help measure, mix and complete other age-appropriate tasks. This keeps them interested and safe. And remember to always wash hands before getting started! That is food safety 101! 
  3. Mise en place!  This is French for “everything in its place.” Set out your ingredients on the counter in pre-measured amounts that match the recipe. Maybe your child can help measure dry beans or flour? Or pull items out of the pantry? To hold little ones’ attention, start following the recipe directions only after everything is prepped. Start with simple recipes to minimize tantrums.
  4. Prepare for spills! Have your kitchen towel handy and put a garbage bowl on the counter is the best way to help clean along the way. It’s always easier to stay on track with recipes when you have a clean workspace.
  5. Set a fun table! The best part of cooking is eating! While dishes simmer or bake away, have children set the table. If they’re too little to handle carrying your fine dishware, use paper! And don’t forget the placemats. This Dole placemat will keep the kiddo’s coloring until their dinner is ready to eat. And older kids might enjoy personalizing a downloadable menus and recipe cards to turn your kitchen into a French bistro!
cooking with kids
cooking with kids
Jules and Max eating their fruits and veggies after helping in the kitchen 🙂

How to choose healthy recipes to make with your little chef

  • Start with simple snack foods. It could be as basic as having younger children use small cookie cutters to make shapes out of melon.
  • Other healthy snacks to try could be apple slices with hummus dip. Have children slice the apple with a safety knife and scoop dip into a bowl.
  • Look to your family traditions. What foods have meaning to your family. Is there special sweet treat or holiday food you can tell a story about?
  • Take a trip to the farmers market or grocery store and let your little chef choose an ingredient to work with.
  • Have your little kids scan through cookbooks or magazines to choose kid-approved recipes by looking at pictures.
  • What about something simple and easy that even picky eaters will love? Check out these simple banana oatmeal cookies.
  • If all else fails get a ball of whole grain pizza dough from the grocery store. Shape into a round and top with your favorite sauce, cheese and olive oil. You can top with veggies of choice and a green salad for a delicious dinner.
Small sized and safe tools empower children to take snack time into their own hands the healthy way!!

Benefits of cooking with kids

  • What’s better than sneaking a little extra reading time. Have them read the list of ingredients or point out letters of the alphabet.
  • They learn important math skills from measuring out ingredients!
  • They become familiar with kitchen tools
  • They can hone fine motor skills when the write out the shopping list.
  • It’s the perfect time to talk nutrition and the benefits of eating lots of colorful vegetables!
  • It’s an excellent way to spend one on one quality time.
  • It’s a great time to forget the stress and focus on the task at hand – for parents and kids!
  • Picky eaters are more likely to try new things if they’ve made them!

Things to consider buying to make cooking with kids easier!

Plastic chef knives give small hands the freedom to do the same thing you do! It makes them feel special and can motivate them to do prepare foods on their own!

A kid safe kitchen stool. These are built with safety in mind, to get kids up at counter level while ensuring they don’t fall.

Cookie cutters of all shapes and sizes. These again, are a fun way to add creativity to meals and snacks – especially fruits! My daughter loves to makes shapes out of melon and then skewer them onto toothpicks.

Bonus: Kids are more likely to try foods that they help prepare in the kitchen! Take advantage of that opportunity to make family meals that include fruits and vegetables and other healthy ingredients that improve diet quality.