Over the years I have experimented with lots of different toppings: garam masala, za’atar, chili powder, cinnamon, parmesan, and nutritional yeast are some of my favorites. But in honor of Cinco de Mayo this year I wanted to push the envelope and try something different: Mexican Street Corn-Style Popcorn.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mexican Street Corn (Elotes), it is a wonderful concoction of grilled corn that is then slathered in a creamy, citrusy dressing and then topped with salty cheese. In other words: heaven. If you ever have the chance, definitely get it! But I wanted to try to find a way to put that creamy, citrusy, smoky goodness onto popcorn as a fun and festive snack.

Now, I do have to warn you that this popcorn is just a tad addictive. Even last night, after having dinner and dessert, I reached into the leftovers bag for “just one more bite” and found myself shoveling handfuls into my mouth, with my husband pushing me aside to get his hand in the bag too! So when you make it either prepare to ruin your dinner, exercise great restraint, or serve it to a larger group.

A note on popping popcorn yourself: for those of you who have never made popcorn from the kernel before, don’t worry! It is very simple to do and, like so many other foods, once you have made the homemade version, the stuff that comes in a bag just won’t seem worth it. But, if that feels too scary, then buy the store stuff (you’ll need 6-8 cups), as plain and unseasoned as you can get, and then use the dressing to top it off.

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Mexican Street Corn-Style Popcorn

Course Snack

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon coconut or canola oil
• ¾ cup popcorn kernels
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. If using coconut oil, let it completely melt. Add 3 or 4 popcorn kernels and put the lid on the pot.
• When the kernels start to pop, pour in the rest of the kernels and put the top on again. Swirl the kernels around so that they get coated in oil. Let the popcorn start popping and shake it occasionally to allow the un-popped kernels to sink to the bottom.
• While you wait for the popcorn to pop, combine the melted butter and mayonnaise in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
• The popcorn is done popping when there is about 1 second between pops.
• Dump the popcorn into a large bowl and pour the lime zest, chili powder, and salt on top. Mix gently, just to spread out the toppings a little bit.
• Pour the butter and mayonnaise mixture on top and then stir well, I just used my hands, to make sure everything is well coated.

<p>The post Mexican Street Corn-Style Popcorn first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

So in honor of Memorial Day Weekend and the official start of summer, I thought I would share some of my favorite summer picnic foods:

Flexible Granola Bar

Simple Grain Salad

Savory Zucchini-Corn Muffins

Simple Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Medley Sandwiches

Smoke Salmon Frittata

Roasted Summer Vegetable Dip

*This page contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product through these links, your cost will be the same but I will receive a small commission to help with operating costs of this blog. I only link to products I personally use, trust, and love. Thanks for your support!

<p>The post My Favorite Summer Picnic Recipes first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

In honor of Earth Day on April 22, we’re challenging ReDux members to show how they reduce food waste. Whatever you would normally toss, use it up. Share tips for reducing food waste in meal planning, prep or using up scraps.

There are so many reasons, from environmental to financial, why reducing food waste is a great goal and if I am being totally honest, it is an area that is still a work in progress for me. While I almost never let cooked food go to waste, I struggle with what to do with all of my vegetable scraps since I don’t have a yard big enough for a compost bin. Some of them I store in gallon-sized freezer bags to use when I make vegetable or chicken broth, but often times those bags (yes, there is more than one) reach capacity and so then I end up tossing peels, ends, and cores—and feeling guilty about it every time. Not very productive, I know.

So, if you are like me and throwing food away makes you crazy, here are some ways to at least start reducing food waste that have worked for me. And, please, please, please share your tips and tricks in the comments so we all can benefit!

1. Keep ends of bread or stale bread in a freezer bag to be used for breadcrumbs. When you find yourself facing those straggler pieces of bread that you know no one will ever eat, rip them up into small pieces and toss them in the bag. Then, when you have a need or when you have some time when you’ll just be kicking it around the house, pour the bread pieces out on to a cookie sheet and put it in a 200 degree oven. Let them slowly dry out in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until all the pieces are super dry, then throw them into your food processor and run it until you have bread crumbs! I do this from time to time and then store them in a sealed jar in my pantry to use as needed.
2. Keep vegetable scraps in freezer bags for making homemade broth. I do this with onion peels, green onion stalks, carrot and celery ends, the stems from greens, mushroom tips, etc. When you want to make the broth, just throw them in a pot, fill with water until just covering the scraps, toss in some bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring it all to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer for as long as possible, at least 2 hours. Strain and save for your recipes. I like to save mine in 4-cup portions since that is the most often needed amount.
3. Throw parmesan rinds into soups. Just fish them out when the soup is ready. This will add a depth of flavor and works especially well with minestrones and pureed vegetable soups.
4. Turn your potato or sweet potato peels into crisps! The skin is where many of the nutrients are stored, so tossing these always makes me sad. But no more! These nutrient-packed snacks are so simple, so good, and can be changed up easily by tossing in a spice of choice (chili powder, garam masala, cinnamon, etc.). Here’s the super simple recipe:

<p>The post Potato Skin Crisps and 4 Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

These muffins are super simple to make (especially if you cheat and buy the already cooked beets like I did)! It is pretty much a dump, mix, and spoon out muffin mix. They are sweet enough to be a tasty breakfast or a healthy snack for the big day.

So whip these up this weekend for a nice little surprise for your family, your co-workers, or anyone else who could use a little extra love!

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Beet Rosemary Muffins

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 4 small to medium cooked beets
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 and spray your muffin tin or line it with muffin liners.
• Cream the butter and honey in a food processor. Add the beets and eggs and puree until the beets are smooth.
• Add the flour, rosemary, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
• Add walnuts, if using, and mix until well combined.
• Spoon out batter into muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool on rack.

<p>The post Beet Rosemary Muffins first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

Chelsey is a Registered Dietician based in New York City. She is deeply passionate about nutrition, baking, cooking, exercising, and living a healthy lifestyle and she is all about doing it in a balanced way (sound familiar?)! She also has her own food allergies and so all of her recipes are nut-free, peanut-free, and sesame seed-free, plus many are grain-free, vegetarian, or vegan. So basically, she is a cooking rockstar! Make sure to check out her amazing blog here.

So take it away, Chelsey….

Hi there! Since many of you may not know me, there’s one thing you should know off the bat — I have had severe food allergies to tree nuts, peanuts and sesame seeds for as long as I can remember! At a young age, I learned how to navigate this nutty world nut-free, and now as a dietitian I help many other families do the same!

Even if you or someone in your family doesn’t have food allergies, there’s a pretty good chance that you send your kiddos to a nut free school or your child (or you!) have a friend with food allergies. So read on, my new friends… food allergies are everywhere ((and on the rise)).

Before I share my favorite Nut Free Snack Mix, however, I wanted to share some of my top tips to help you navigate food allergies…
Always read food labels! As far as food allergies go, the only part of the label you have to pay careful attention to is the ingredient list. Read it. And read it again. Line by line. Use your finger to guide you so you don’t miss ANYTHING!

If you can’t read it, don’t eat it! This is my motto and I’m sticking to it! I’m pretty sure I grew up with my mom chanting this motto to me non-stop, but I’m glad she did because it made me extra vigilant when it came to anything I was going to eat. And it is important to note that manufacturers can easily change the ingredients without a major packaging update, so just because you’ve purchased and safely eaten a product in the past doesn’t mean you can skip label reading the next time you go to purchase the same product!

Know the nicknames of your food allergy. Although there are what seems like a million different tree nuts, I think this tip is especially important for those with egg, milk, soy and gluten allergies. Eggs have about 20 different pseudonyms they can hide behind (would you ever guess lecithin or lysozyme?!). Did you know milk can be hidden behind casein and lactate? What about soy as MSG, vegetable gum or even vitamin E?

Always have your EpiPen (or other adrenaline shot). You NEVER want to be unprepared if a life-threatening situation arises, which is why I always recommend that families have an EpiPen (adrenaline shot) in multiple locations within their home, including the kitchen and one on each floor of the home. In school, your child’s teacher as well as the nurse should each have their own EpiPen! You should also always carry one in your purse.

Pack safe snacks wherever you go. You never want to be in a situation with a hungry kid (or you!) and not have something you know is safe to eat. Which is exactly why you need my nut free snack mix recipe……

You can find more information about managing food allergies here, but make sure you do your research about your specific allergy. And I always suggest talking with a dietitian when you or someone you know is newly diagnosed with food allergies to make sure you understand how to eat well with your restrictions.

I love this recipe so much because it’s easy, customizable and so yummy! As written below, the recipe is free of 7 top food allergens [contains soy], but there are plenty substitutions listed too. This snack mix stores well in an air-tight container for a few days so you can double or triple the recipe to make a big batch at once.

Nutritionally speaking, this Nut Free Snack Mix is a great afternoon snack because it contains a combination of fiber, healthy fats, and protein, which will keep you full for longer. AND it’s satisfying with salty and sweet flavors, plus crunch and chew! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do…

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The Best Nut Free Snack Mix

Course Snacks

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 188kcal

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 3 cups air-popped popcorn or 2 tablespoons kernels
• 1/3 cup seeds I used a combination of raw sunflower seeds and raw pepitas
• 1/3 cup crispy roasted edamame [*contains soy*]
• 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips Enjoy Life is my preferred food allergy friendly brand
• 1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder may omit for children
• Olive oil spray I use olive oil in my Misto Oil Sprayer.

Instructions

• If not using store-bought air-popped popcorn, place popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag, fold down the top and microwave for one minute and 30 seconds, or until kernels are popped. Place 3 cups of the popcorn in a large bowl.
• Wait until the popcorn has cooled and then add the remaining ingredients. Gently mix together.
• Spray snack mix for a few seconds with olive oil and then sprinkle sea salt and chili powder on top. (Or any other desired spices).
• Enjoy! Snack mix will store well in an air-tight container for a few days.

Notes

*May substitute additional seeds if soy allergy.
If allergic to sunflower seeds, may use more pumpkin seeds or whole flaxseeds or additional popcorn. 
If allergic to corn may substitute puffed rice cereal.
I order many of my seeds and dried fruit online from Gerbs Allergen Friendly Foods to prevent cross-contamination.

<p>The post The Best Nut Free Snack Mix and A Dietitian’s Tips to Help You Navigate Food Allergies first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

I have a confession to make: I hate tater tots. Maybe it is because I never tasted one until I was in my late 20s and so I don’t have any sentimental attachment, but to me they just taste like clumps of sad, soggy, kind of greasy, overly salted French fries. I just don’t get the appeal. And yet, when I started seeing recipes for vegetable tots floating around I was curiously intrigued. I loved the idea of small nuggets of vegetables that could be made to go along with a meal, could be a new spin on vegetables in the lunch box, or could be a fun new snack option, so I started experimenting to see what would work well, because more than anything I didn’t want to end up with a tater tot equivalent that would leave me feeling bummed out and disappointed.

And I have to say, I think that the idea resonated with some of you as well! As I have started posting my weekly meal plans (new in 2017! If you don’t follow me on Facebook yet, I’d love to have you join in the fun!) people have noticed the veggie tots listed and have asked about them more than any other dish. I guess it is a sign!

So I wanted to share one of the versions I have been working on, Broccoli Tots. As you may remember, broccoli was a go-to vegetable in this house for years but recently my 8-year-old started resisting it. He declared himself sick of roasted broccoli (how is that possible?!), then tired of my garlicky sautéed broccoli, then was just generally unwilling to even look at the stuff… until these tots! Now he’s back on board in a big way and I’ve got to say, I can’t blame him.

One of the things that I have found in making vegetable tots is that they need flavor! You can’t just mix in some bread crumbs and egg and call it a day. Well, I guess you could but they’d be kind of sad. So I have become a fan of adding cheese and seasonings. So when the Kikkoman Sodium Saving, Flavor Raising Recipe challenge was announced, these tots felt like a perfect fit! I could reduce the sodium, boost the flavor and serve up some tasty tots. Woo hoo!

I know it may sound counter-intuitive that using soy sauce would reduce sodium, but it is true! By using ½ tsp. of Kikkoman Soy Sauce in place of ½ tsp. of table salt, the sodium content is cut by 1000 mg. Similarly, a study in the Journal of Food Science showed that replacing salt with soy sauce reduced the sodium content by up to 50%, without decreasing consumer acceptance! How cool is that?! And if you are still nervous about making the switch, Kikkoman offers a ton of less sodium products including, Less Sodium Soy Sauce, 50% Less Sodium Gluten-Free Tamari Soy Sauce, Less Sodium Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce, and 50% Less Sodium Gluten-Free Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce.

Ready to get cooking? Here is the recipe for Broccoli Tots. Please let me know what you think and if there are other vegetables that you’d like to see tot-ified, let me know! I’m working on a couple of other versions for you!

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Broccoli Tots

Course Side

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 28

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup grated cheese cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan all work well, or use a combination!
• ½ cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 Tablespoon Kikkoman Soy Sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with either parchment paper, a silicone mat, or spray with cooking spray.
• Steam your broccoli on the stove or in the microwave. Strain out any water.
• Combine all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything is well-mixed and the broccoli is all chopped up.
• With slightly wet hands (this will help with sticking), pick up about 2 Tablespoons of the mixture and form it into a little patty or cylinder. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the tots are formed.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes, flipping about half-way through. The tots are ready when they are beginning to go golden brown. Serve with favorite dipping sauce, marinara, or just as they are.

<p>The post Cheesy Broccoli Tots first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

Many (most) of the students were very skeptical about either one or both of the sauces and a few declared that it was going to be disgusting and that they wouldn’t eat them. I calmly reminded the students to please choose their words carefully (we have a rule in the class, “don’t yuck someone else’s yum”) and I asked that everyone try at least a tiny bit of each, even if it was just a lick. Some were nervous, but everyone agreed. So when it came time to try the two sauces I went around and put a tiny bit on each kid’s plate (less than 1/8 of a teaspoon). They had apples, carrots, and pretzels to dip in the sauces. And this is where some really cool things happened.

•  Everyone tried both sauces!
• No one said anything disparaging about the food. Some of them didn’t like the sauces, and that is fine, but they all managed to express their feelings politely—no one said “yuck” or “gross” or anything like that.
• A number of students were shocked to discover that they really liked one or both of the sauces! Two of the students who had been the most nervous fell in love with the sauces and had multiple servings of both and one student who had been extremely skeptical of the tzatziki because it had cucumber in it was shocked to find she enjoyed it and even had seconds.

I was so proud of these kids! It can be overwhelming and scary to try new foods and not only did everyone try the food, but they did so with an open mind.

As I have reflected on this experience over the past couple of days I have been thinking about the process that we went through together and what made this moment a success. There are four things that I have come up with that I think are good guidelines for feeding kids, but also for learning how to cook, and even for trying new things in general (no matter how old you are).

1. Structure is key. I have worked with these kids over the weeks of the class to have them understand the expectations I have of them and they were then able to live up to those expectations. This same sort of structure is important when you are learning any new skill. When learning how to cook the structure can be working from a simple, clear recipe or mastering one specific skill at a time (sautéing, roasting, chopping, etc.).
2. Safety is essential. If I had pushed these kids to try a big spoonful of each sauce I know some would have refused, and they would have been right to. But by putting just a tiny bit on their plate and allowing the taste to be as small as they wanted, they were able to remain calm and open. In learning how to cook I think safety is starting with simple recipe because your chances of success then increase and allow for momentum moving forward.
3. It’s gotta be fun. For kids (and grown ups) dips are a great way to introduce a new food, whether it is the dip or the food being dipped that is new, because they are fun. Similarly, when learning a new skill trying to keep it fun is essential, since that will encourage you to go back to it again. So start with a favorite dish or a treat that will draw you back to the kitchen to try again.
4. Options always help. With the class I gave them three things to dip (carrots, apples, and pretzels). This gave them choices. The same can be true for learning to cook. Try picking a recipe that will give you room to make it your own as that will likely draw you in again (some good examples are a skillet tomato sauce or a noodle soup where you can pick the vegetables and proteins you want to add).

Have you found tricks to help you have success when trying new things? What was helping when you were learning a new skills, like cooking?

<p>The post 4 Ways to Make Trying Something New a Success (with Kids or Yourself) first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>