Kids Food Festival Fresh, Flavorful & Fun Salsa

By Cricket Azima, The Creative Kitchen

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes

1 cup strawberries

1 mango

2 kiwifruit

1 seedless cucumber

2 different colored bell peppers

1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans

1 8-ounce can corn

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 limes

olive oil, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

chips (baked chips for a healthier option)

Directions:

1. Dice tomatoes, strawberries, mango, kiwifruit, cucumber, and peppers and place in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Add beans and corn to the bowl and stir together.

3. Tear or chop cilantro leaves and add to the bowl.

4. Dress salsa with limejuice, olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Mix well and eat with chips!

Bite-Sized Tips:

Hands-On Helping: Kids can help cut fruits and vegetables with a kid-friendly safety knife.

Include the Whole Family: Even the youngest helpers can wash the produce and tear the fresh herbs.

Balance is Best: For great guidelines, ChooseMyPlate.gov.

 Make Smart Food Choices: Ask kids to pick three favorite fruits instead of fruits listed above! Vote on a bean variety instead of white beans. Have the family choose between cilantro and mint. 

The Creative Kitchen Polka Dot Pudding*

By Cricket Azima, The Creative Kitchen

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked brown rice

1 mango

2 bananas

2 kiwis

12 to 15 strawberries

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

2 tablespoons honey or agave, (or to taste)

1 cup dried shredded coconut, optional

Directions:

1.       Put cooked rice into a medium-mixing bowl.

2.       Peel and dice mango, bananas and kiwis and add to the bowl of rice.

3.       Remove stems from strawberries, cut berries into small pieces and add to the bowl.

4.       Stir coconut milk into the bowl and mix well.

5.       Add sugar to the bowl and stir together.

6.       At this point, either add dried shredded coconut to the bowl and stir together, or shredded coconut may be added to the top of the pudding as a garnish.

* A perfect treat for a dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free diet.