Archive for the ‘Kid Friendly’ Category

Wish your TV could help you lose weight?  Here’s how your Tivo or your cable company’s DVR box can help.  We have a DVR that I think is really cool because it helps us do other things and not worry about rushing home to see American Idol or who got a red rose this week.  That means no excuses to walk, play a round of basketball, or stay off the couch.  Once we do find the time to sit down and watch the show, we can fast forward past the contestants’ last chance to re-sing the songs that got them voted off. (Like they’re going to do better with a lump in their throats and tears…Right?)  But, more importantly, we can also fast forward through the commercials.  Prime time TV seems to have tons of food commercials, so if you fast forward through them your kids are less likely to turn to you and say, “Mommy/Daddy, I want another snack.”

A 2004 study by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in Menlo Park, California, found that TV advertising greatly contributed to unhealthy food choices in children. Your kid sees an average of 40,000 ads annually, so record programs and fast-forward through the commercials whenever possible.

So, am I saying to run out and invest in a Tivo or DVR?  You bet I am!  This makes a lot of sense and anything to help our kid’s battle with weight I’m all for it. Let me know… what you think?

My “Junior Chef” Garrett told me this morning that raviolis should be for dinner tonight.  I told him, “Great! You can make them.” “Make them?” he asked. “Yep, we’ll make them completely from scratch.” 

Adding the filling

Ready for the wter

Ready to eat

Garrett says "num num num num"

Ingredients
The filling
1 lb fresh spinach
1 lb ricotta cheese, thoroughly drained
1 egg
4 oz parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly grated
salt and pepper
pinch of nutmeg

The dough
3 cups flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

Directions
Boil the spinach in lightly salted water. Place the boiled spinach in a cheese cloth and form a small sack. Squeeze the sack to expel as much water as possible. Chop the spinach finely

Place the spinach in a bowl. Combine the drained ricotta, egg, parmigiano cheese, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch of nutmeg. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and nutmeg if necessary

To prepare the pasta dough: Combine all the ingredients, mix the dough so it is very soft and moist. Use the minimum flour necessary, just enough to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands while working.
Cut the dough in two parts.
Place one of the pieces on the work surface, and flatten it with a rolling pin until it is very thin.
 Repeat the same steps with the other half of the dough, making a pasta sheet of the same size.
Set it aside, covered with a moist towel if necessary to prevent the pasta from drying too much. 

Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling on the dough, spaced 2 inches apart. 

Bring water to a boil in a stockpot. Gently drop the ravioli in the boiling water a few at a time 

Cook until the pasta is al dente (firm but not too soft or overcooked). Drain ravioli, picking them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon

Serve with your favorite sauce.   Cheers!!!