Search Results for: blog the sneaky mama sneaks in strawberries for summer

The Sneaky Mama on Getting Healthy Snacks Into Your Kids

I recently received the following question: Question: I can’t seem to get away from giving my kids junk when we’re on the go. It seems that we’re always running and that it’s easier to stop at McDonald’s than it is to make sure they all have a healthy snack. Even packaged snacks seem easier when we’re at home. Help?! You’re not the first mom to think this and I’m sure you won’t be the last. I have to admit that I don’t have any quick fix solutions for you. In my opinion, changing behavior always requires a change in attitude … Continue reading →

Summer Slushie Fun

Even though my children love slushies I hesitate to buy them often because I cringe at wondering just what exactly is used to make blue raspberry flavor. I’ve never seen a blue raspberry, and I’ve never seen a natural food that glowed in almost florescent colors. But slushies are fun. And they are a great way to cool off. A few summers ago we bought a snow cone maker. My thought was that we could pour our own real juices over the ice. That part worked, but we had to remember to freeze the ice in a special container. The … Continue reading →

The Sneaky Mama Sneaks in Strawberries for Summer!

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How’s that for alliteration? I can’t promise that these recipes are completely sugar free, but strawberries are a valuable gem in the world of nutrition. Just one cup of strawberries provides more than 100% of a day’s supply of Vitamin C. . .and that’s just for starters. On top of that, eating strawberries provides protection against all manner of diseases including macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis. (Eating a variety of vegetables and fruits will do this. . .but strawberries are so delicious!) So although these recipes do have some sugar. . .go ahead and let your kids indulge just to … Continue reading →

Kids in the Kitchen: Sweet and Simple Strawberry Treats

Thank goodness for strawberries. When she was a baby the sweet red fruit was one of the only all-natural snacks my young daughter would willingly devour. Three years later strawberries are still on the top of her “Favorite Foods” list and being able to pick our own at a local farm has become an annual family tradition. We headed out on our latest strawberry picking adventure a couple of weeks ago and per usual it was… well, eventful (as are most outings with a preschooler). This year the crop was plumper and juicer than ever. We picked 10 pounds worth … Continue reading →

Strawberry Crumble Truffle

‘Tis the season for fresh berries in abundance. That also means, if you love to bake, it is the season for strawberry shortcakes, blueberry crumbles and anything else that you can possibly imagine. This recipe is one of those that is great for impressing guests because the results are so delicious but it’s not difficult to put together. It’s also nice because you can do it ahead of time, since they have to freeze to be firm. The impressive layered dessert is very easy to put together and save for the baking time for the crumbly topping, and the chopping … Continue reading →

Frozen Treats Galore: A Berry Yummy Dessert

There’s something about summer that simply demands you eat a fair share of berries. It’s more than the fact that they’re in season and consequently cheaper–it’s that they’re simply beckoning with their juiciness. (Really–can’t you hear the strawberries beckoning now?) Okay, so maybe I’m a little obsessed. But obsession lead to the delicious re-creation of this creamy strawberry frozen dessert. If you think blueberry sauce is odd with the frozen strawberries and cream, you can go ahead and substitute more strawberries for the sauce. However, dare I say, you don’t dismiss it until you try it! You will need: 2 … Continue reading →

Imagine That: My Chef’s Helper Likes to Eat

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As a busy mom of five kids who mostly cooks on my own because I (mostly) refuse to feed my kids prepackaged junk, I’m always asked what we do to conquer the picky eater. I’ve offered a few ideas before and several of my own recipes under the heading “The Sneaky Mama.” I can’t say that we’ve always had 100% success, but my children eat healthily most of the time and they all consume some manner of fruits and vegetables daily. However, my best “trick” to get my kids to like what they’re eating is to let them help me … Continue reading →

Chocolate Shortcake

Nothing says bring on summer like fresh strawberries. But if you think that shortcake and strawberries are singularly the official summer time dessert–you haven’t met this chocolate short cake. The technical definition of shortcake is that it is biscuit like. While it generally comes in that sponge cake like flavor, you can make short cake any flavor you want. And if you can make shortcake any flavor you want, then you can fill it with whatever type of fruit topping you want too! Without further adieu–the recipe for chocolate shortcake and a few ideas for filling this scrumptious treat! You … Continue reading →

Visiting A Strawberry Farm—What Else You Need To Know

In my previous blog I gave you tips on how to navigate through a strawberry farm with young children. My 3-year-old’s first trip to pick fresh strawberries from a local farm yielded many lessons. It was a great summer adventure and I look forward to putting our tips to the test when we head back next year. However, I realize there are some of you who wouldn’t for an instant entertain the thought of toting tots out in the summer sun to pluck fresh berries inches from the ground. With that in mind I have a number of other non-related … Continue reading →

Family Travel: Taking Your Children To A Strawberry Farm

I was going to title this blog “A Trip To The Strawberry Farm—A Parent’s Survival Guide,” but I didn’t want to send the wrong message. Yesterday my 3-year-old daughter and I finished off the last two pieces of a very tasty strawberry rhubarb pie. It was a pie we made together with the fresh strawberries we picked earlier this summer at our local berry farm. (I froze a few pounds and have been adding them to recipes throughout the summer.) Nothing says summer than fresh strawberries, right? That was my thinking about two months ago when I loaded my daughter … Continue reading →