7 Big Box Groceries for Back-to-School Shopping

Admit it: You walk into your local bog box retailer and the next thing you know, you’ve got a cart overflowing with a paycheck’s worth of chips, candy, light bulbs and golf balls! Make the most of your back-to-school shopping by gravitating toward these seven healthy options that are worth the trip to the (big) store.

Shopping Tips

Bigger isn’t always better. Instead of blindly buying the largest pack possible, check unit pricing and consider grocery store prices. Use a grocery store app while shopping to compare prices to make sure you’re actually paying less. Brands also vary from chain to chain, so you may not always be able to purchase your typical family favorites — read ingredient lists to find comparable items.

1. Milk Boxes

Boxes aren’t just for juice anymore. These shelf-stable milk packs come in single servings and can be stored in the pantry (or even under a dorm room bed). Chill them in the fridge and toss into lunchboxes and gym bags.

2. Granola Bars

It’s always good to have a grab-and-go snack for between classes and after school. Look for variety packs of healthy granola bars. Brands like Kashi, Nature Valley, Annie’s and Cascadian Farm can be found in various sizes.

 

3. Yogurt

Check the refrigerated section for multipacks of calcium- and vitamin-D-rich yogurt. Single-serve cups and tubes can be frozen ahead and allowed to thaw in lunchboxes or served as frozen after-dinner treats.

4. Nuts

Nuts are a terrific source of protein, fiber and healthy fats, but they can come with a hefty price tag, so bulk may be the way to go. Nuts may be a no-no for little ones due to school rules about allergies, but they’re a healthy option for college students and high school athletes. Or just stash nuts at home as a healthy snack.

5. Frozen Fruit

Large bags of frozen berries and tropical fruits like pineapple and mango can be much more affordable in bulk. Add frozen fruit to smoothies or baked goods, or enjoy it as is for a sweet and icy treat. Because frozen is just a nutritious as fresh, no one misses out in the nutrition department.

6. Breads

Stock up on whole-grain varieties of sliced breads and rolls for breakfast and bagged lunches; store them in the freezer and extend the shelf life for up to six months!

7. Storage bags

Stock up on different sizes of storage bags. Instead of spending big bucks on prepackaged snack packs of pretzels, crackers and trail mix, make your own. You can also use these bags to divide up large packages of other big box items to help keep them fresh.

 

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

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The Sweets of Summer: Your Best #Healthy Desserts

A few days back, we took to Instagram and asked you to share your best healthy desserts of the summer by using the hashtag #FoodNetworkFaves. And my — oh, my — did you deliver. Our feed was studded with fruity treats, home-baked confections and more good-for-you sweets that prove this summer was the sweetest yet. Here are some of our favorites.

When @thewholesmiths baked oatmeal cookies, she forgot the oatmeal — on purpose. With a surprising base of almond and tapioca flowers, shredded coconut and coconut sugar, these 20-minute No’tmeal Raisin Cookies boast the same texture and flavor as your classic oatmeal cookies — raisins and all — while being grain-free and paleo to boot.

Rethink the color of your sweets by going green like @vitsky. She baked a batch of Spinach-Banana Muffins tinged green and loaded with the naturally sweet flavor of bananas. Get your own dose of home-baked banana goodness with this healthy, double-the-color recipe.

@mayihavethatrecipe‘s tiered Vegan Rosewater Almond Milk Pudding is flooded with color, layer by layer. The homemade floral pudding contrasts with juicy pomegranate seeds and nutty, crunchy pistachios for a light, scoopable treat that will brighten up any summer table.

Nothing says summer like frosty, fruity ice pops. @simplybeautifuleating froze a bunch of multihued Fruit-Infused Popsicles — the best thing to hit your pop mold all summer. They’re simply made with fruits like watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, raspberry and mango, plus a squeeze of lime and a little honey.

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3 Ways to Use Cashew Nuts

It’s time to make room in your cabinet for cashews. Almonds may be the go-to nut, but when it comes to versatility in the kitchen, cashews win hands down. With one bite of the swoonworthy blueberry swirl creamsicles, you’ll get a taste of the creaminess.

Want homemade yogurt without the wait? Cashews to the rescue. Blended together with coconut meat and probiotics, then lightly sweetened with agave, they make a creamy, full-bodied dairy-free yogurt like you’ve never tasted. Or, stick to something savory and use chopped cashews and mushrooms in place of ground beef for tacos. Together, they make a healthy ingredient swap that mimics the real deal. 

Blueberry-Cashew Creamsicles

Makes 4

2 cups fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed
1/4 frozen banana
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan, bring the blueberries and 2 tablespoons of the honey to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, smashing the berries against side of pan with a wooden spoon until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to cool. Using a hand-held blender, puree until smooth.

Using a blender, puree the rinsed cashews, banana, honey, salt and 1/4 cup water on high speed until smooth. Layer the blueberry and cashew mixtures into each ice-pop mold and insert ice-pop sticks; freeze until solid, about 6 hours. To remove, run the mold under warm water until the popsicles slide out.

Per serving: Calories 193; Fat 8 g (Saturated 1.6 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 153 mg; Carbohydrate 30.5 g; Fiber 2.7 g; Sugars 22 g; Protein 3 g

Mushroom-Cashew Taco Salad Bites

Serves 6

One 10-ounce container white mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup cashews, toasted and cooled
1 carrot, finely shredded
1/2 red onion, finely shredded
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper
Blue corn tortilla chips
Chopped avocado, for topping
Hot sauce, for topping (optional)
Lime wedges, for serving

In a large pan, saute the mushrooms on medium heat until they are golden and the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes; let cool.

In a food processor, pulse the cooled mushrooms and cashews with carrot, onion, garlic, cilantro, scallion, jalapeno, cumin and chili powder until crumbly; season with salt and pepper. Return to the pan, and toss over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

To serve, spoon some of the taco meat onto each taco chip and top with the avocado, hot sauce (if using) and a squeeze of lime.

Per serving: Calories 315; Fat 25 g (Saturated 4 g); Sodium 49 mg; Carbohydrate 20 g; Fiber 4 g; Sugars 2 g; Protein 7.5 g

 

Dairy-Free Instant Cashew-Coconut Yogurt

Makes about 2 cups

1 1/2 cups young coconut meat
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon agave nectar
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or
 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dairy-free probiotic powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and process on high speed until smooth. Let sit at room temperature until tangy, about 2 hours. Refrigerate until cold.

Per serving: Calories 247; Fat 17 g (Saturated 10 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 220 mg; Carbohydrate 31 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugars 17 g; Protein 3.5 g

 

Silvana Nardone is the author of the Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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Nutrition News: Nutrition Labels, GMO-Free Products and Organic Recalls

Nutrition Labels Prompt Buying

If a product has a front-of-pack nutrition label, people are significantly more likely to buy it, regardless of whether the label brings good news or bad about the nutritional value of the product, a study has found. According to researchers at the University of Otago, in New Zealand, who published their findings in Public Health Nutrition, it doesn’t matter the size or format of the label, or even the info contained in the front-of-pack label; the mere presence of a front-of-pack label on a product causes an increase in consumers’ intention to buy the product. The authors say the results suggest a “complete functional failure” of current nutrition labels, calling for further research before countries make them compulsory, as is being considered in the United States and the United Kingdom, among others.

 

More GMO-Free Products Sport Labels

If you’ve noticed more products in your cart carrying labels stating they’re free of genetically modified organisms, it’s not your imagination — but it may not indicate that anything about those products has changed either. Increasingly, The Wall Street Journal reports, even though the governmental and scientific consensus is that GMOs are safe, consumer concern has climbed. As a result, more sellers have begun paying to verify and label products “GMO free,” even though their products may not be among the handful of crops approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for genetic modification — or even have any genes. Still, labeling your product GMO free, if it happens to not contain any GMO ingredients, makes good business sense, some companies believe, as it may prompt consumers to choose your product over the competition.

 

Organic Recalls Are on the Rise

Those who eat organic, take note: A new report suggests that recalls of organic food products have taken a big leap this year. According to Stericycle, a firm that helps companies manage recalls, organic food product recalls have jumped to 7 percent of all recalled food units so far this year, up from 2 percent last year and only 1 percent in 2012 and 2013. That may, in part, be due to increased demand for organic products and the fact that they now account for a higher percentage of all food retail sales. “What’s striking is that since 2012, all organic recalls have been driven by bacterial contamination, like salmonella, listeria and hepatitis A, rather than a problem with a label,” Stericycle vice president Kevin Pollack told The New York Times. “This is a fairly serious and really important issue because a lot of consumers just aren’t aware of it,” he said. Now we are.

 

Amy Reiter is a writer and editor based in New York. A regular contributor to The Los Angeles Times, she has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Daily Beast and Wine Spectator, among others, as well as for Salon, where she was a longtime editor and senior writer. In addition to contributing to Healthy Eats, she blogs for Food Network’s FN Dish.

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Market Watch: The Beauty of Heirloom Tomatoes

It’s peak tomato season at the local farmers market and the best time to explore heirloom varieties in all their imperfect glory.

Defining Heirloom

Heirloom tomatoes are grown from a long lineage of seeds, passed down from previous generations. Each variety is completely unique, leading to tomatoes in a wide variety of colors, shapes and flavors. Because their yield and growing patterns are less reliable than traditional tomatoes, you will most often find these treasures from local sources (such as farm stands and farmers markets) instead of at the grocery store.

As with all tomatoes, they are best enjoyed at room temperature, kept out of the fridge to avoid less than desirable changes in flavor and texture.

Heirloom Varieties

Green Zebra: It’s easy to see where this tomato gets its name. At full ripeness, both the skin and inner flesh are a vibrant green color.

Lemon Boy: Just the sight of this nearly neon-colored tomato elicits a smile. One taste and you’ll be totally hooked by the tangy and juicy sweetness.

Pink Tiger and Blush: Heirlooms are also found in smaller varieties. These tender-skinned oblong tomatoes feature faint horizontal stripes.

Black Cherry: This is another smaller variety. The tomatoes have slightly more acid, but they’re still pleasantly sweet with that one-of-a-kind, burst-in-your-mouth texture.

 

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

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7 Healthy Ways to Use Peaches in Their Prime — Summer Soiree

Few things are better than biting into a ripe and juicy peach. This fragrant stone fruit, with its pink-yellow flesh, has come to embody the carefree spirit of summer. Lucky for us, peaches are at their prime at this very moment, with their peak season beginning in July and lasting through August. If you’re heading to the farmers market, choose peaches with a fresh and floral aroma. The flesh should yield a bit when pressed gently, so avoid any peaches that are rock-hard or mushy. Even if you aren’t working with fresh fruit straight from the tree (frozen peaches and preserves can add great flavor to dishes), it’s still a good time to play up the universally recognized flavor, whether you’re making a cobbler, salad or smoothie. Give summer the last hurrah it deserves with these seven good-for-you meals featuring one of the season’s most-loved fruits.

Grilled Peaches with Cinnamon-Sugar Butter
You’ve probably had grilled vegetables more times than you can count, but how about grilled peaches? Bobby Flay turns to the sweet ripe fruit to make this low-calorie dessert in just 15 minutes. After a quick turn on the grill, each peach half is topped with cinnamon-sugar butter for a juicy, no-fuss treat.

Peach Pie Smoothie
Pie for breakfast sounds too good to be true. But this guilt-free morning indulgence tastes just like the classic summer dessert; best of all, it’s ready in 10 minutes and is made with low-fat milk and yogurt.

Tomato-Peach Salad with Ricotta
Celebrate what’s left of summer with not one but two of the season’s defining fruits: tomatoes and peaches. The milky ricotta cuts the peaches’ sweetness for a well-balanced and refreshing lunch or side dish. Top it off with some toasted almonds for a satisfying crunch.

Savory Peach Chicken
Another way to play up the sweet-and-savory combination is to use peaches as a topping for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Ellie Krieger cooks fresh sliced peaches in a garlicky ginger-soy sauce after browning the chicken in her skillet. This is a dish you can easily enjoy well into the fall season by simply swapping frozen peaches for fresh ones.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Spicy Peach Glaze
If you’re keen on using your grill as much as possible before summer’s over, then try Bobby’s basted and grilled chicken breasts featuring a sweet-and-spicy peach glaze. The glaze calls for peach preserves instead of fresh whole peaches, but the time you’ll save makes the shortcut well worth it. Plus, the preserves are essential to creating the glaze’s caramel-like consistency. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own homemade Peach Jam.

Individual Peach Cobblers
Warm peaches tossed in sugar lie in wait beneath a buttery crumb topping in Food Network Kitchen’s take on the quintessential cookout dessert. Serving the cobbler in individual portions means you can enjoy this classic summer dessert — with a scoop of frozen yogurt too — while keeping calories in check.

Vegan Peach Cobbler
If you’re serving a crowd with dairy restrictions, try this vegan twist on the classic peach cobbler, where almond milk is used in place of buttermilk and coconut oil stands in for butter. When you use ripe, succulent fruit, this dessert bakes in just 20 to 25 minutes. If your fruit is not perfectly ripe, try covering the cobbler and baking it until the fruit is easily pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes, then uncover and bake until the topping is beginning to brown around the edges.

For more ideas on how to savor peaches in their prime, check out these recipes from our friends:

Virtually Homemade: Mixed Summer Fruit Baked Oatmeal
Homemade Delish: Bite-Sized Peach Panini
The Heritage Cook: Grilled Chicken with Peach Chimichurri Sauce (Gluten-Free)
Weelicious: Peach and Ricotta Crostini
Creative Culinary: Fresh Peach and Bourbon Upside Down Cake
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chocolate Dipped Peaches with Sea Salt
Red or Green: Summer Peach & Tomato Salad
The Mom 100: Sour Cream Peach Cobbler
Domesticate Me: Peach Crumble Smoothie
Daisy at Home: Creamy Peach Popsicles
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Six Ways to Savor Peaches
Taste with the Eyes: Grilled Peach Salad, Over-The-Top Maple Bourbon Dressing
Swing Eats: Grilled Peaches with Greek Yogurt, Honey, Lime Zest, and Vanilla
Dishin and Dishes: Bacon Wrapped Grilled Peaches with Goat Cheese and Aged Balsamic
FN Dish: 8 Juicy Ways to Eat Peaches Before They’re Gone

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Avocado, 3 Ways

The avocado may seem destined for guacamole stardom (it plays the role perfectly), but there’s much more this healthy fruit can bring to your recipes. It not only gives any dish a creamy texture, but also adds a great airiness.

Give classic hummus a velvety twist, swap not-so-healthy Nutella for an addictively rich chocolate-hazelnut spread (ideal as a topping on rice cakes or for dipping into with your favorite fruit) or toss cubes of avocado with shrimp for a new take on classic shrimp cocktail.

Avocado-Hummus Dip (above)

Serves 4

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons tahini
Salt and pepper
Olives, sliced, for topping
Halved cherry tomatoes, blanched green beans and cucumbers, for serving

In a small saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the garlic until softened, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly and squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins.

In a food processor, combine the avocado, chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, blanched garlic and 2 tablespoons water until creamy; season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a bowl. To serve, drizzle with olive oil, top with olives and season with pepper; serve with the vegetables for dipping.

Per serving: Calories 294; Fat 21.5 (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 204 mg; Carbohydrate 25.5 g; Fiber 9.5 g; Sugars 1 g; Protein 6 g

Chocolate-Hazelnut Avocado Spread

Makes about 1 cup

1 large ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup hazelnut flour, toasted, or 1 1/4 cups toasted blanched hazelnuts, plus toasted crushed hazelnuts for serving
1/4 cup powdered maple syrup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Salted thin brown rice cakes, such as Lundberg, for serving

In a food processor or high-speed blender, puree together the avocado, cocoa, hazelnut flour, maple sugar, vanilla, salt and 1/4 cup water until smooth. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. To serve, spread over rice cakes and sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts.

Per serving: Calories 196; Fat 12 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 0 mg; Sodium 51 mg; Carbohydrate 21 g; Fiber 5 g; Sugars 0.6 g; Protein 4g

Grilled Shrimp with Chunky Guacamole and Cocktail Sauce Dressing

Serves 4

1 ear of corn
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 peaches, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Juice of 1 lime plus 4 lime wedges, for serving
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Open the corn husk slightly and fill with water; wrap tightly in foil and grill, turning occasionally, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, thread the shrimp on skewers, drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes total.
In a small bowl, toss together the avocado, tomatoes, onion, peaches and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the ketchup, horseradish and lemon juice. Add about 1 to 2 tablespoons water or enough to reach your desired dressing consistency; season with salt and pepper. To assemble, layer the chunky guacamole, shrimp and cocktail sauce dressing into serving glasses or small bowls. Garnish each with a lime wedge.

Per serving: Calories 339; Fat 15 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 221 mg; Sodium 588 mg; Carbohydrate 27 g; Fiber 8.5 g; Sugars 11 g; Protein 27 g

 

Silvana Nardone is the author of the Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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Chunky and Hearty White Bean Soup

Beans are nutritional powerhouses.

Not only are they a great, lean source of vegetarian protein, but they provide a myriad of health benefits, and they fit into several different food groups:

They’re rich in complex carbs like whole grains…

They’re full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like veggies…

and They’re high in protein like meat

I literally try to eat beans once a day in some form or another, because of 5 reasons:

#1 | They’re Heart Healthy. The high amounts of soluble fiber in beans help lower bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Side note: If you are using canned beans, rinse them in water before using them to eliminate 40% of the sodium (or buy a low-sodium variety like Eden Organic)

#2 | They’re a Lean Protein. Beans have only 2-3% fat (lower than meat), but 7g protein for every 1/2 cup serving (the same amount as 1oz of meat)

#3 | They balance blood sugar and help you lose weight. Thanks to their low glycemic index (because of their complex carbs + protein), beans are digested slowly which helps keep blood glucose stable. Additionally, their high fiber + water content keeps you feeling full without being high in calories.

#4 | They Keep Things Moving. Filled with fiber, beans can promote regularity and help keep tummy troubles away.

#5 | They are Easy, Cheap and Versatile. Beans come canned, frozen, or dry – so they are a breeze to purchase, prepare and store. They’re also the least expensive source of protein out there (especially when compared to fresh meat!). Lastly, they can be used in just about any dish. They can be incorporated into a main (soups, chili), a side (salads), an appetizer (bean dip), or a snack (roasted chickpeas). And there are so many varieties: kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to name a few

This soup was the perfect opportunity to use white beans in our dinner tonight. It’s rich, hearty, and super flavorful: thick and chunky, with oozing cheese and al dente pasta as toppings. The husband and Layla couldn’t get enough of it!

The Ingredients

• 3 15oz cans navy beans
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 3/4 tsp salt (or 1 tsp if you need a little more salt)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more to taste if needed)
• 1/2 cup dried small pasta shells
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese (2 tbsp per serving, about 1 cup total)

The Directions

Step 1: Chop all of your ingredients (onions, carrots, celery, herbs)

Step 2: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is softened and begins to caramelize.

Step 3: Add the parsley, beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the beans soften.

Step 4: While the soup is simmering, cook your pasta until it is al dente. Drain and set aside.

Step 5: Blend the soup partially with an immersion blender until the soup is chunky but not completely pureed. Mine looked like this when it was ready.

Step 6: Divide the soup into bowls and add 1-2 tbsp of cooked pasta and 1-2 tbsp of parmesan cheese to each. Eat and enjoy!

 

Print

Chunky and Hearty White Bean Soup

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Calories per serving: 245.6

Fat per serving: 5.3g

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 245.6 Calories, 5.3g Fat, 500mg Sodium, 35.3g Carbs, 12.4g Fiber, 3.3g Sugar, 14.4g Protein

Ingredients

• 3 15oz cans navy beans
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 3/4 tsp salt (or 1 tsp if you need a little more salt)
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more to taste if needed)
• 1/2 cup dried small pasta shells
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese (2 tbsp per serving, about 1 cup total)

Directions

1. Chop all of your ingredients (onions, carrots, celery, herbs)
2. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is softened and begins to caramelize.
3. Add the parsley, beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the beans soften.
4. While the soup is simmering, cook your pasta until it is al dente. Drain and set aside.
5. Blend the soup partially with an immersion blender until the soup is chunky but not completely pureed.
6. Divide the soup into bowls and add 1-2 tbsp of cooked pasta and 1-2 tbsp of parmesan cheese to each.

Notes

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

3.1

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Recipe by: The Picky Eater, pickyeaterblog.com

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5 Healthy Take-to-School Breakfasts

Getting back into the swing of the school year takes time. Just getting the kids out the door with their teeth brushed, shoes on and homework in tow is an ambitious feat to pull off every day — and you better bet sitting down to a nice family breakfast straight out of the movies isn’t about to become a daily ritual either. Make busy mornings a whole lot easier by dropping the kids off at school — or the bus stop — with healthy take-to-school breakfast recipes that will keep them full and focused until lunchtime.

Take the stress out of mornings by baking at night or during the weekend. Ellie Krieger’s easy, no-butter Apple Muffins are made with whole-wheat pastry flour and loaded up with nourishing pecans and chunks of Golden Delicious apples. Ellie swaps the butter out for applesauce, which keeps the muffins moist and fruity without adding fat. Send your little ones off with these muffins and they’ll be set for the morning.

Gone are the days of cooking oatmeal over the stove. Healthy Overnight Oats come together by soaking old-fashioned rolled oats, good-for-you sweeteners, and other add-ins like fruit and nuts in milk overnight in a jar. In the morning, your kids will have a spoon-ready oatmeal they can grab from the fridge, and you’ll have a hands-off morning that you could get used to.

Opening up a lunchbox to find a homemade sandwich is pretty common at lunch hour, but our favorite hand-held option doesn’t have to be restricted to the midday meal. Send your kid off with a Healthy Breakfast Sandwich: an English muffin stacked with an egg omelet, Canadian bacon and tomato slices.

With a straw and a portable cup of Ina Garten’s Orange-Banana Smoothie in tow, your kids will be ready to start the day with the very first slurp. Ina’s refreshingly fruity smoothie is a simple blend of orange juice, strawberries, bananas and a splash of lime juice.

Repurpose the glass jars in your kitchen to be no-brainer food containers for on-the-go eating. That way, you can pack up a simple Mixed Berry and Yogurt Parfait and screw a lid on it for a creamy, crunchy and fruity morning start your kids will dig.

Get more of our favorite kid-friendly ideas and healthy breakfast ideas.

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